<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>50 days of Summer by 2d_dating</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24002710">50 days of Summer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/2d_dating/pseuds/2d_dating'>2d_dating</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, M/M, Other, Reader-Insert</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:09:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>23,597</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24002710</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/2d_dating/pseuds/2d_dating</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Haikyuu Reader-insert drabbles! Some NSFW, mostly SFW. Making my way through the list below with randomised matches to the names. If you have any feedback I'd love to hear it &lt;3 It's my first time posting though, so please me gentle with me &gt;.&lt;</p><p> All characters are aged up/post time-skip unless specifically mentioned otherwise. </p><p>https://2d-dating.tumblr.com/post/616813926824411137/prompts-list</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ennoshita Chikara/Reader, Kageyama Tobio/Reader, Kozume Kenma/Reader, Oikawa Tooru/Reader, Sawamura Daichi/Reader, Sugawara Koushi/Reader, Takeda Ittetsu/Reader, Terushima Yuuji/Reader, Tsukishima Kei/Reader, Ukai Keishin/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>187</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. 01 || “okay, but i’m cooler!” - takeda ittetsu</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>“okay, but i’m cooler!” - <strong>takeda ittetsu</strong></em> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class=""><p> </p>
<p></p><div class=""><p> </p><p>“Takeda-sensei there’s a call for you!”</p></div><div class=""><p>“Yes, thank you!” </p></div><div class=""><p>You watched as he hurried over to the phone, his expression going from 0-100 in the space of a few exchanges. His eyes immediately began to get that excited gleam, and his cheeks flushed a rosy red.</p></div><div class=""><p>“Yes! Yes, thank you! Thank you so much!”</p></div><div class=""><p>A couple hurried bows to nobody in particular and a few seconds struggling to place the phone back into its slot and he was off, dashing to find the captain of the volleyball team.</p></div><div class=""><p>“You’ve got that dumb smile on your face again,” Ono Minaho grinned at you, peeking over her monitor. </p></div><div class=""><p>“I do not-”</p></div><div class=""><p>“Yes, you do,” she sighed. She had the same look on her face whenever she had to deal with Hinata and Kageyama. The first years were a pain to deal with, even in your classes. “When are you going to get the balls-”</p></div><div class=""><p>“Minaho! This is a school!”</p></div><div class=""><p>“-to ask Takeda out?”</p></div></div><div class="">
  <p>“He has more than enough going on,” you blushed, you tried to busy yourself with straightening the pile of history test papers on your desk and just ended up making them less aligned than before. “He has the volleyball club and they seem to actually be doing really well this year and-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“And?” she asked, tucking her short hair behind her ear.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“And I think he’d be busy enough without having a junior asking him out!” you grumbled. “I’m not about to add the burden of having to deal with me and my dumb feelings onto his shoulders.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Ahhhh, Take-chan,” Mashima from the PE department leaned back into his chair. He set his feet on his table and stuck a lollipop into his mouth. “It’s a miracle he doesn’t already know.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yes, and you aren’t about to change that,” you sniped at him and gathered the materials for your next class. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Minaho and Mashima exchanged a look and rolled their eyes as you left the staff room. Your crush on “Take-chan” was an open secret amongst the staff and they were pretty sure even the students had an inkling about your feelings. It seems only the man himself was oblivious to the signs.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You were still flustered as you made your way through the corridors, waving to students who greeted you. Suddenly you found yourself facing a crowd that had cropped up in the middle of the corridor. Sounds of awe and cheers were coming through the crowd as the students gathered excitedly around the notice board. It was hard to make your way through - you were short as it is and it seemed they hadn’t yet noticed a teacher was in their midst. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Wow, the volleyball club is really going big this year!” When you got close enough to peek, you could see what all the fuss was about. It was a beautiful poster with an amazing picture of Hinata mid-air, reaching for the ball. A call for donations for their trip to the national championship was expertly blended in, making the poster seem cool and professional. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hey, Shouyo, look, that’s amazing!” A tall first year in glasses was pointing at a poster on the board. The shorter boy next to him had his arms crossed, his chest puffed out with pride.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Isn’t it awesome? Yachi-san made it!” he said, gesturing to the sputtering blonde girl next to him. An impressed “wow” made its way through the small crowd, a few people moved forward to congratulate the girl which only seemed to fluster her more.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Footsteps approached from behind you and you turned to see an angry Kageyama peering over your shoulder, angrily sipping on a carton of juice. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hey, Yachi-san, why is Hinata the only one on our poster?” he grumbled. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried well and turned the flustered girl into even more of a trembling mess.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I-I-I-I j-j-just-” she stuttered.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Because I’m super cool,” Hinata supplied, turning to face Kageyama, still glowing from the compliments of the students. “Look, she caught the way I can go whoooosh up into the air-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Just because she can take a good picture doesn’t mean that was a good serve,” Kageyama scoffed. “I bet you dropped the ball right after you served it, didn’t you?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“GAH,” Hinata froze, turning beet red. “N-no I didn’t!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You totally did,” Kageyama retorted, sneering at him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I didn’t!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You did!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You weren’t even there-!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I don’t need to be there to know you can’t serve for shit-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I can do jump serves, I’m doing one right there!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Hinata and Kageyama were literally butting heads, grumbling at each other with their foreheads uncomfortably pressed together.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You decided you’d finally had enough and cleared your throat loudly.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Boys, I do think that’s quite-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“HA?!” they both said angrily as Kageyama squished the juice carton still in his hand. The juice exploded and sprayed all over you and your test papers, staining them a dull purple. A gasp went through the crowd and you sputtered for a few seconds, blinking the juice from your eyes. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You could feel the sugary liquid soaking through your white shirt and the sheets of paper you were holding seemed like they were wilting. You sighed heavily. You were pretty sure you could already feel it sticking.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hey, that’s a teacher isn’t it?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Holy shit - it’s the History teacher!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Hinata and Kageyama were staring at you now, frozen.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Kageyama-kun, Hinata-kun,” a quiet voice came from the other end of the corridor. The startled crowd quickly parted in a path for Takeda. Even you were scared at the look on his face. “Please see me in the staff room immediately.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>          _______________________________________________________</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>An hour or so later, you were sitting at your desk, printing out a new set of papers. Thankfully you always carried a spare outfit, even if it was just an old shirt and trouser set that didn’t fit very well anymore. A hand placed a steaming cup of tea on your desk and you looked up to see Takeda smiling at you bashfully.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m really sorry about earlier, _____-san,” he said, bowing deeply. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No, no it’s okay! It’s not your fault,” you waved at him, your blush threatening to set fire to your cheeks.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“These students would like to apologize as well,” he said, bowing again and you notice Hinata and Kageyama peeking out from behind him. They looked like they had gone through hell and barely escaped by the skin of their teeth.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“We deeply apologize for our behaviour!” Their voices rang out in the staff room and even sleepy old Mori-sensei turned to look. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Well, I’m sure Takeda-san has lectured you both enough on my behalf,” you replied, trying your best to ignore the sight of Minaho biting her lip behind her monitor. She was slowly getting redder from trying to reign in the giggles that occasionally slipped out. “Let’s just try and be mindful of the people around us in the future.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yes, thank you!” Hinata bowed again, Kageyama wordlessly following suit. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Well, the poster really was cool,” you smiled, patting them both on the shoulder. “I wish you all the best for nationals!” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>They both beamed as they stood back up, Hinata’s eyes practically sparkling. “Thanks, we’ll make sure not to disappoint!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hey, Hinata, Kageyama,” Minaho called, pointing to the clock. “Shouldn’t you both be heading for practice?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Oh no!” They scurried off to practice, already bickering along the way. (“See, she even wished us luck! The poster must’ve been just that cool.” “That’s not because of you!” “Okay, but I’m cooler than you-”)</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I really must apologize again, ________ -san,” Takeda bowed to you once more.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You know, Take-chan,” Mashima called, his head still in the store cupboard he was digging through. “If you really wanted to make it up to _______ -san, you should take her to dinner.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What?!” you squeaked, your hands rising to your cheeks on instinct. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yeah, it’s the least you could do,” Minaho said, giving you a wink. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No, you really don’t have to-” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“How about tonight after work?!” Takeda asked.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yes?!” You started suddenly turning to face him. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“They’re right,” he said, rubbing at the back of his neck sheepishly. “I feel really bad that it was grape juice, I’m pretty sure they ruined your shirt. Let me at least buy you dinner.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yes?!” You squeaked out again, the nerves making it sound more like a question than an answer.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Ah!” he suddenly started, grabbing a clipboard from his desk. “I should be heading off to practice too. I’ll meet you at the front gate tonight at 8pm, _____ -san!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“S-sure!” You managed to get out before he ran through the door. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Minaho and Mashima finally burst out laughing. You crumpled up two grape-juice soaked papers and threw it at them both. They dodged easily, still chuckling.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“If it was gonna be that easy,” Minaho said, looking at Mashima.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“We shoulda done that a long time ago,” he continued, giving her a fist bump.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You rolled your eyes. Well, it was going to be an interesting night. </p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 02 || "how do you fail a survey?" - Oikawa Tohru</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This was meant to be a drabble but it's getting ridiculously long so I'm putting up this half first! I kind of took a lot of liberties with this one and decided to make the reader Iwa-chan's sister. This is told from his perspective, though so "you" are the "she" in this story~</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Stop crying, Shitty-kawa, it was just a scratch.”</p><p>“I’m not crying!” he grumbled, furiously blinking the hot tears away as he limped along the sidewalk. If he wasn’t leaning on Iwa-chan for the support, he’d probably have smacked him for the tease. </p><p>Things had been going great for Tohru that day. The boys had taken to spending their evenings outside of practice in the neighborhood park. The unused basketball court was the perfect place to practice for a bunch of second graders - the high nets all around the court helped to keep any stray balls contained. He’d only just managed to land a half-decent jump serve when he’d taken a dive pretty badly and scraped his knee. It wasn’t very deep, but it was wide and was bleeding badly. </p><p>“It was your fault, you know, Shitty-kawa. You should’ve been wearing your knee pads” Iwa-chan nagged him, but the words had no malice and Tohru knew it was just his way of worrying about him. He grimaced as they hit a bit of an incline in the road. </p><p>He had a good day today, he knew, but it had been the first bit of progress in so long and then this happened. The unused knee-guards in his back pocket just added to the burning disappointment in the pit of his stomach. He knew it would take a while for him to heal up from the injury, which meant even more of a set-back, and the other kids on the team were already miles ahead.</p><p>“Hey, are you alright?” Iwa-chan was suddenly concerned at his silence. </p><p>“I’m fine, Iwa-chan,” he said. “Let’s just get to your place.”</p><p>“Well, we’re here.” They had decided to stop at Iwa-chan’s and get his leg treated before attempting to make it up the hill to Oikawa’s house. The Iwaizumi residence was a modest house with a high wall running all around the perimeter. A short walkway led up a short flight of steps to the front door. The grass on either side of the stairs on the upper level was kept short and neat and just past the wall, Tohru could make out a well-kept garden. </p><p>Iwa-chan helped him up the steps and let him sit on the side of the steps while he fumbled with his keys. He realized it was his first time coming over to Iwa-chan’s house. They’d often met outside to play ball together but hadn’t quite gotten to the stage where they’d visited each other’s homes, although their parents had met when coming to pick them up from volleyball practice.</p><p>Iwa-chan helped him hobble through the door and set him down in the kitchen before wandering off to fetch a first-aid kit. He could smell some rice already being cooked in the rice-cooker and the small countertop had a cutting board, knife and a bowl of chopped vegetables and meat. Someone else must be home.</p><p>“Ha-chan?” he heard a female voice call from the garden. He heard footsteps up to the backdoor. “Are you okay with curry for dinner? Mom and dad said they’d be back after dinner- oh!”</p><p>A girl stood in the doorway, a yellow apron on over her shorts and t-shirt, hair pulled into a messy ponytail, a pair of scissors and some green onions in either hand. She was clearly a couple of years older than Tohru and even sitting down, he could tell she was easily a head taller than him already. Tohru felt a blush rising to his cheeks and he wasn’t quite sure why. </p><p>“Umm, hello,” she smiled, stepping into the kitchen. Her face immediately fell as her eyes found the cut on his knee. “Oh no, are you okay? Are you one of Ha-chan’s friends?”</p><p>“I-I’m Oikawa Tohru,” he said, bowing in the chair. He hastily swiped at his eyes, trying to clear away any stray tears. “We’re in the volleyball club together.”</p><p>“Oh, you’re Oikawa-san!” she said, as she set the green onions and the scissors on the chopping board. She grabbed a bowl and filled it with some warm water and dug up a clean washcloth. “He’s mentioned a lot about you. Was it one of those dive things that you do? Sorry, I don’t know a lot about volleyball. I’m not very good at sports. I’m in the gardening club at school-”</p><p>“Oh,” he said. He shifted uncomfortably as she turned around to face him and set the bowl down on the table. She chatted away at him as she worked, gently pressing the cloth to the wound and cleaning it. He wasn’t really sure how to respond to all of this information. His knee still hurt and now she was telling him about a kitten that had wandered into the school yard, and her touch on his skin was gentle and <em>God, did all girls have eyelashes that long</em>-</p><p>“Oikawa-kun?” she asked, looking up into his eyes. “I’m not hurting you am I?”</p><p>He started and suddenly realized he’d been zoning out and biting his lip really hard. </p><p>“N-no, I’m fine!” he squeaked. When had his voice even been like that? And why did her eyes have to be so nice and clear and sparkly.</p><p>“Okay, well let me know if it gets too much,” she returned to gently cleaning his wound. “Where did Ha-chan get to? He must’ve been looking for bandages or something-”</p><p>“Nee-san,” Iwa-chan grumbled, finally back with the first-aid kit. “I told you not to call me that.”</p><p>“Yes, your Majesty,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “You know, if I’m going to have to make you dinner, I get to call you whatever I like.”</p><p>Iwaizumi clicked his tongue and set about patching up Tohru’s leg. He was kind and careful, making sure the tape he’d used to stick on the gauze wasn’t touching any of the scratches. Tohru watched his sister go about cooking the curry - something she was clearly used to. As she started stir-frying the onions, his stomach gave an embarrassingly loud rumble. Iwaizumi chuckled. </p><p>“Hungry, Oikawa-kun?” she laughed, adding the meat to the pan. “You can stay for dinner if you like, there’s plenty here.”</p><p>“I shouldn’t impose-”</p><p>Iwa-chan glared at him as if he’d grown another head. “You’ve never been worried about that kind of thing before.”</p><p>“It’s fine, I thought Mum and Dad were going to be home so I made extra,” she waved the ladle at him dismissively. “The phone’s out in the hall, you can call your parents and let them know.”</p><p>“Th-thank you,” he said, bowing to hide his blush. He was going to get to eat her food? Why did that make him so happy?</p><p>Iwa-chan was still staring at him in confusion, he realized he was being unnaturally submissive. </p><p>Well, he couldn’t have Iwa-chan doubting that. He pushed himself up to his feet, using Iwa-chan’s head for support. Iwa-chan grumbled but didn’t retaliate other than to call him “Shitty-kawa” again. He heard her giggle as he left the kitchen, the smell of the curry filling the air. His stomach hurt, a weird mess of cold and hot and it made his heart race. </p><p>It’s just the hunger, he told himself. It was just the smell of that damn curry.</p><p>____________________________________________________</p><p><br/>
When Tohru takes his first steps into Kitagawa Daichi, he smells that curry again. He trailed along behind Iwa-chan as they made their way through the students, following their noses to the small booth run by the students from her class. He was excited to be here - he knew Kitagawa Daichi was a volleyball powerhouse, but he was also here because she was here and it had been a while since he’d had a reason to go to Iwa-chan’s house. </p><p>He rubbed his hand over his thundering heart. He was an idiot and a fool. He was fairly sure that Iwa-chan had caught on to his little crush. He’d made as many dumb excuses as he could to visit his house and he’d recently come up dry. Whatever Iwa-chan thought about his crush (that he had about a snowball's chance in hell of actually making it with his sister, probably) he had kept to himself. </p><p>Over the years, she’d grown up and moved on to junior high and it felt like a chasm had opened between them. Their schedules had changed and Iwa-chan’s parents had taken to being home a lot more and even when he made excuses to pop by, she was usually not at home or doing homework in her room. Now they were headed to the Kita-Ichi school festival, but next year they’d both be applying to the school. He’d finally be able to catch up to her, and at least for a year, they’d walk the same grounds, know the same teachers, see the same sights-</p><p>“Ha-chan! Tohru-kun! You’re here!” she waved. Then she smiled and Tohru felt his stomach do a little summersault. </p><p>It had been a while since he had seen her, and he felt everything in full force again. She was wearing an apron over her school uniform, hair neatly tucked behind the bandana that seemed to complete the uniform for their curry rice stall, but that did nothing to hide her slowly changing figure. She’d begun to fill out the once-oversized uniform and he couldn’t help but notice the curves. </p><p>“Nee-san, I told you not to call me that,” Iwa-chan crossed his arms over his chest, looking uncomfortably at her classmates who had giggled at the nickname. </p><p>“Oh shut up and come get your curry,” she laughed. She happily introduced them to her classmates, who seemed nice enough, for older kids. She gave them both an extra large helping and they carried their little plates of curry rice to the seating area inside the classroom. </p><p>They were discussing whether to hit the haunted house or the volleyball club’s booth first, when they saw her come in through the classroom doors and head to the storage area at the back. A boy who had been cleaning up some of the used tables rushed over to help her. The storage area was separated from the rest of the class by a big blue screen, but the boys could just make them out at the angle they were seated. </p><p>She reached into a box to dig out more paper plates.</p><p>He knelt down to help her. </p><p>She blushed a deep red and laughed as their knees jostled together.</p><p>He raised a hand and tucked a stray hair behind her ear and she smiled.</p><p>
  <em>God, she smiled and Tohru felt like he was going to combust-</em>
</p><p>Then she leaned into him.</p><p>And they kissed.</p><p>And his world shattered. </p><p>“I know that guy,” Iwa-chan muttered from next to him. </p><p>“Who is he?” </p><p>“He's on the volleyball club.” </p><p>“What position does he play?”</p><p>“Setter.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 02a || “how do you fail a survey?” - oikawa tohru</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This is getting a lot longer than I was expecting but I'm allowing the gods of writing to take me where they see fit. Also I am so sorry, Iwa-chan.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Part 2</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The next time Tohru walks into Kita-Ichi, he definitely makes a first impression. He’d spent every evening of the summer training. Jumping higher, swinging harder, moving faster, tossing right on the mark. It was a good distraction. Every time he swung, he’d picture the setter’s face on the floor exactly where he wanted the ball to hit. It didn’t help with the accuracy much, but it definitely gave him motivation. </p><p> </p><p>The summer training had given his skin a sun-kissed glow and he noticed his body changing. Both him and Iwa-chan had broken their voices a few weeks before school, thank God and their families had noticed their growth spurts and broadened shoulders. He’d honestly been too busy training in the last few weeks to go for a haircut but his sister had told him the longer style looked good on him and offered him some hair styling products instead. It had taken a few tries to get that careless, flyaway look but he thought he had it down pat. </p><p> </p><p>His first day at school he manages to avoid her and the setter. It wasn’t until he made it to the volleyball club, that he ran into the older boy again. He was taller than him, for sure and moved with the ease of someone who had experience in the sport. Tooru ground his teeth as he stretched. He’d show him. The coach decided to put the first year’s to the test, quickly organising a practice match and throwing different coloured jerseys to the two teams. He’d picked a mix of starting members (that Tohru was annoyed to see included the setter) and a few other members of the team from the second and third year batch.</p><p> </p><p>Higher, harder, faster, stronger. </p><p> </p><p>As the game progressed, it was easy to see that despite the other first-years being somewhat mediocre, Tohru and Iwa-chan were running circles around the third years. They began to gather a crowd of curious onlookers. At the end of the first set, he looked around and realised they’d garnered the attention of the girl’s basketball club practicing on the other half of the court and a few passing students. </p><p> </p><p>“Kaito-kun!” he froze. He watched as she parted the crowd of students and handed the setter a drink. Her cheeks were flushed from the autumn air, a soft rosy pink scarf draped casually over her shoulders. Her eyes were…. Softer, sweeter than he’d ever seen them as she chatted to “Kaito-kun”. The look she gave him both lit a fire in his belly and made him feel sick at the same time. He wasn’t sure what any of it meant other than that he wanted her to look at him that way too. She waved politely to them but decided against coming over and walking right through all the other players. </p><p> </p><p>He’d make her notice him. One way or another.</p><p> </p><p>The match resumed and soon enough he was rotated to the front and the other team’s libero surprised them with a set for the setter himself. Tohru moved before he could think about it, grabbing Iwa-chan by the sleeve and positioning them to block. The boy leapt up and swung just as Tohru hit the apex of his jump. The ball easily ricocheted off his hand onto the floor on the opponent’s side of the net. </p><p> </p><p><em> That was it? </em>He stared at his hand in confusion, his fingers barely even red from the impact. It felt light, so much less powerful than he had expected. He looked up at the sound of his name and found his opponent staring at him through the net.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, I didn’t hurt your hand did I?” </p><p> </p><p><em> HURT my HAND? </em>He wanted to scream and laugh, but he didn’t. He simply smirked and shook his head in reply. If this was what he was up against, he had nothing to worry about. </p><p> </p><p>It took them twenty minutes to wrap up the game. The first years lost, but only just barely, thanks to Tohru and Iwa-chan. The other first years were slapping him on the back, jubilant even though they lost. They could hold their own against their senpais and had gained the respect of their upperclass-men. He looked around the gym, trying to catch sight of her again and his heart immediately sunk.</p><p> </p><p>She was standing next to him, laughing and playfully rubbing the towel into his hair. Her cheeks were flushed and she was radiant, glowing in his presence. The way she giggled, the way her eyes lit up. Why? Why couldn’t she look at him the same way?</p><p> </p><p>“U-um you’re Oikawa-kun, right?” he turned, and suddenly realised a girl was standing next to him. She was smaller than him, barely making it to his shoulder and holding out a small juice box in her hand. “I-if you’d like to, you can have this.”</p><p> </p><p>He took the box from her hand, somewhat stunned in the attention. The girl smiled and blushed - there it was. For a fleeting second, the same kind of adoration <em> she </em> had given “Kaito-kun”. He smiled at her and the blush intensified. He used his hand to sweep back his hair and he heard another female voice behind him sigh. </p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t nearly the same, not even in the same galaxy as the smile he’d gotten from her, but… at the sound of the female voices, she’d turned to look at him. A strange look crossed her face, only for a moment before she was engrossed in Kaito again. Whatever that look was it was better than whatever he’d experienced before.</p><p> </p><p>Better than “Ha-chan’s friend”, better than “my other kid brother”, better than “the lame neighborhood kid” or whatever other name he had decided she must have for him. </p><p> </p><p>And if he couldn’t have that smile from her... well. He’d just have to try and get it from everyone else. </p><p> </p><p>______________________________________________</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Wait, she isn’t going to Aoba Johsai?” he froze, the bright blue popsicle halfway to his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re gonna drip all over the sidewalk, Shitty-kawa.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, shit,” he quickly licked up the sticky mess dripping down onto his fingers and jogged to catch up to Iwa-chan. “Then where is she going to school?”</p><p> </p><p>“I told you last week, Tokonami,” Iwa-chan shrugged, neatly nibbling on the end of his popsicle. “They have better academics.”</p><p> </p><p>“I would’ve remembered if you told me last week,” Tohru pouted.</p><p> </p><p>His best friend rolled his eyes. “You were probably too busy with what’s her face from class F.”</p><p> </p><p>“Minako-chan,” he sing-songed. “That reminds me, she asked if we’d go on the group karaoke thing with the girls from the third year too High.”</p><p> </p><p>“No.”</p><p> </p><p>“What? Why not?” his pout was back and he nudged Iwa-chan with his elbow. “Come, on, Hana-senpai will be there, and Ko-chan and even that cute senpai from Nee-san’s class with the huge- OUCH!”</p><p> </p><p>At first it had been nothing more than a ruse. One girl after another to make smile and giggle and laugh. It was easy, he realized. He was attractive, athletic and maintaining decent grades was as easy as breathing. Before long he’d proven himself and now that Kaito-kun was graduating, he’d be damned if anyone else was going to claim his spot as the regular setter on their volleyball team. </p><p> </p><p>The years passed easily after that. His visits to Iwa-chan’s house became less frequent now that they were older and had enough of an allowance to meet up at a cafe or a restaurant if they had to. As far as he had heard from Iwa-chan, she had broken up with Kaito-kun shortly after graduating from middle school and had moved on to someone new. Kaito-kun became less of a personality and more of a general goal that he perpetually set for himself. Whether it took the form of an annoying kouhai with a toss to rival his or a stoic spiker from Shiratorizawa who had hair so good it was stupid.</p><p> </p><p>Line after line, drip after drip, the well he’d built up inside himself had leaked out into everything else and it was easier, now to put her from his mind. He’d even managed to hold on to a girlfriend for a while, although that quickly fizzled out when she realized he wouldn’t skip volleyball practices just to make-out behind the gym.</p><p> </p><p>He could finally have some peace.</p><p>______________________________</p><p> </p><p>And then it happened. </p><p> </p><p>She had entered university and they had entered their second year of high school and Iwa-chan’s parents had finally called it quits after years of silent arguments - Iwa-chan wasn’t even surprised, he’d seen it coming - and suddenly she was inching closer to his life again. Their parents had decided to move out closer to each of their respective offices and left the kids their old house as a home base. </p><p> </p><p>The first time he saw her again, it was after their first defeat against Shiratorizawa. They had said goodbye to the coach, skipping out on his offer of a meal and somehow ended up at the old neighborhood park they had played at as children. It was a tenuous silence neither of them was willing to break. They pushed the old net fence open, dug out a ball each from their bags and slammed serve after serve until they were exhausted. </p><p> </p><p>It was numb. All they felt was numb. At least the ball on their hands felt like something, anything other than the cold chill of defeat and the rising bitterness of disappointment. He felt like he was 9 years old all over again, almost wished there was at least an injury that he could blame for their loss. At least Iwa-chan could say he had his parents divorce-</p><p> </p><p>Tohru almost gagged at himself. He was truly disgusting, if he’d sunk so low as to think that of his friend. He’d seen how hard Iwa-chan struggled, seen how he’d gotten grouchier, the retorts to his teasing a mask to hide how tired he really was. Even with all the teasing, he only managed to draw out a few cherished laughs and still here he was - <em> jealous </em> of his friend’s horrible personal situation. Maybe he really was just a piece of shit. </p><p> </p><p>“Come on, let’s go,” Iwa-chan wiped at his forehead with his elbow and picked up his things. Tohru followed him wordlessly, still ashamed at his internal dialogue. He took a peek at the phone in his hand and sighed at the 47 missed calls from all the different members of his family. </p><p> </p><p>He should’ve probably turned left at the intersection and gone up the hill home, but he wasn’t ready to face the smiling faces of his family quite yet. Iwa-chan didn’t seem like he was about to stop him and Tohru didn’t intend on stopping. Even if he had to just sleep on the floor, it was better than going home to bear the burden of everyone else’s disappointment. He opened the chatroom with his older brother and sister and just typed “We lost. I’m going to Iwa-chan’s. Talk to you later. I’m sorry”.</p><p> </p><p>As he climbed up the familiar steps up to the front door and plonked himself down on the kitchen table, it all finally started to sink in. </p><p> </p><p>“You know, Iwa-chan,” he started. </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t you fucking dare,” Iwa-chan interrupted. “You were about to start on some kind of dumbass defeat rant, weren’t you?”</p><p>“No, I wasn’t!” he pouted crossing his arms. “You’re so goddamn mean.”</p><p> </p><p>They lapsed into silence, Iwa-chan leaning forward over the low table. His head pressed to his elbows. </p><p> </p><p>“We’re gonna make it next year,” he said, his voice was muffled against the table, but even that couldn’t hide that it was shaky and cracking. “So save your stupid defeat speeches for some other time. We’re gonna make it next year.”</p><p> </p><p>Hot, angry tears filled his eyes and he bit his lip hard. Iwa-chan’s face was still pressed into his arm but his other hand had curled into a fist on the table. He flopped down next to him and bumped his fist as he pressed his face into the table too. Soon they were both crying, growling their frustrations into the wood. </p><p> </p><p>They didn’t notice her soft footsteps at first and honestly were too exhausted and tired to care if she saw them in the state they were in. She silently came up behind them, sitting between them at the corner of the table and rubbed soft circles into their backs. It only made them cry harder, but it helped. </p><p> </p><p>Iwa-chan was the first to turn, he heard him mumble her name as he buried his face in her shoulder. </p><p> </p><p>“I was wondering where you’d gotten when you didn’t answer my calls. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to your game today. I had to sit for an exam in school.”</p><p> </p><p>He looked up to see Iwa-chan shake his head in reply and cling to her. It felt almost too intimate, too private to see his friend in such a state but he felt like he suddenly knew where Iwa-chan had gotten all of his strength - who wouldn’t when he had a pillar like this to comfort him when the world was falling apart? </p><p> </p><p>Gone was the tall angel in the yellow apron who had tended to his scraped knee, and in her place was someone else entirely. The hand stroking his hair was gentle and small, so much smaller than his now, and when had she gotten that extra piercing in her ear? Her eyeliner was just slightly smudged from where her own tears were trailing down the sides of her face. </p><p> </p><p>“Good to see you, Tohru-kun," the smile didn't quite reach her eyes, but it didn't make her any less beautiful.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 02b || “how do you fail a survey?” - oikawa tohru  [END]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>For something that was just going to be a drabble this took FOREVER. I am SO SORRY if you have had to bear with me so long OTL It took forever to get to the point with this one. If you're liking this or hating it, I'd love to hear your opinions. Thank you for anyone taking the time to read this, you are an angel &lt;3 The next one is likely to be terushima yuuji.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The summer heat was burning through the sliding door in the living room. Despite the wide open doorway, and the ceiling fan, it felt like only the slightest bit of cool air was circulating against your skin. Even the iced tea you’d made was slowly turning to room temperature and your laptop was dangerously close to overheating. You were just about to make a run to the kitchen for more ice when you heard the front door slam open. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, I get that, but how do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>fail a survey</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It wasn’t my fault Reiko-chan decided that was the best time to text me- GAH! Iwa-chan! What would you have done if you’d hit my face and damaged this masterpiece?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re disgusting.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You rolled your eyes as they thundered their way into the living room. You looked at the pile of papers and your laptop on the low table. Well, it wasn’t like you were making much progress anyway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Nee-san, you’re home!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome home,” you said, laughing as you saw Tohru rubbing his hand. “I ordered some pizza for dinner, I hope you don’t mind.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nee-san, he’s terrible!” Tohru fell dramatically to the floor at your side, showing you the red mark on his hand. “I’m scarred for life!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your existence has scarred me for life,” Ha-chan retorted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Scar or no scars, you guys stink,” you laughed. “Go have a shower before dinner.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ugh, fine,” you know your brother may grouch about it for the sake of his best friend, but he always preferred to be clean and showered the moment he got home. He marched off upstairs, tugging his bag with him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He always walks like a dinosaur,” you laughed, listening to his feet thump on the stairs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A dinosaur that apparently would make a great doctor,” Tohru sighed, stretching out on the floor.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” you frowned. “That’s the first I heard of it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The school had us take some career compatibility surveys today,” he shrugged, fiddling with the end of his t-shirt. “‘Excellent grades and a bed-side manner to go along with it’. I mean has our teacher even met him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I could see him being a doctor,” you admitted, tidying up all your papers. “What about you, Tohru-kun?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” he said, stretching out on the mat. “They keep asking me to pick something I’d want to pursue but honestly, I’ve been getting a few good scholarship offers from South America…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You knew he was talking, but it was all lost on you when your brain suddenly took in the sight in front of you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The arch in his back and the little peek of skin under his shirt suddenly made your breath hitch. He seemed a little dazed in the summer heat, a hand carelessly thrown across his forehead, palm up, fingers half curled and sweat dripping down his neck and disappearing past his collarbones.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When had he gotten so…. hot? You weren’t stupid and you most certainly weren’t blind - you knew both your brother and his best friend were not only attractive, they were basically magnets for the entire female population of their school but you’d never felt anything like this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly his hand shifted and he was looking up at you and the sight of his brown eyes made you swallow. He rolled and pushed himself off the floor and your brain felt like it was exploding - shoulders, collarbones and that peek of abs from the collar of his shirt, the veins in his arms-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Nee-san, are you listening?” When he was finally on his hands and knees, you realized he was right in front of you, the force of the motion suddenly placing him almost nose-to-nose. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You made an embarrassingly strangled voice and leapt to your feet, clutching the papers to your chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um, I’m going to go have a shower too so um, get the pizza when it comes,” you said, gathering the rest of your things into your arms. You tried to press the papers higher to cover your burning cheeks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” he said. There was something about the tone of his voice that made you stop to look at him before heading up the stairs, and you would swear for the rest of your life that that was the moment you fell.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had turned to face you, one elbow on the table, his arm propping up his face. His lips curled into a smirk and his eyes dark and half-lidded. Something about that expression made you feel like he could see right through you, see exactly the way he made your insides turn to mush.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Well, fuck. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>___________________________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were insane. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were nuts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was younger than you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was TWO YEARS younger than you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was still in high school.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You were a giant perv.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was your brother’s best friend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Over the past six months you had spent every waking moment trying to forget that afternoon in your living room, your brain coming up with every reason it possibly could to tell you that this was wrong. It helped somewhat that the boys had hit their volleyball season again and were diligently preparing for nationals. Maybe this time you’d manage to convince one of your parents to come to your brother’s games. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your university courses had also picked up the pace as the new year began and you were back to chasing deadlines between your part time job at a nearby bookstore and running the household. Everything felt like it was racing by at breakneck speed until the day that the boys had had the final volleyball match of their highschool career.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your brother had come home alone that night and it was painful to see the raw pink at the corners of his eyes, but at the same time you were so incredibly proud. You know how much volleyball meant to him and he had mentioned that a few sports scholarships had been handed to him from local universities. It was a setback for now, but he was always the wiser one of you both and he knew he’d have a career ahead of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The house felt strangely empty without the usual rage fueled binge-eating that accompanied their losses. Nah, you chided yourself. The truth is that it felt empty without Tohru. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You picked up your phone and scrolled to the last message you sent him. A simple greeting or your 20th birthday, then a selfie of himself wearing a cap that he’d wanted to get for your brother’s last birthday to ask you your opinion. You weren’t willing to admit to yourself how many times you’d opened that chat again just to peek at that picture. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tohru” you typed. Then erased and typed and erased again. What did you even say to someone in this situation?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly a little bubble appeared - “Oikawa Tohru is typing”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh, shit, you panicked and shut down the app, even shutting the screen off on your phone. A notification lit it up a second later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span><strong>Oikawa:</strong> <em>Cat got your tongue? :P</em></span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You winced and opened up the messenger again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span><strong>You:</strong> <em>I’m sorry. I heard from Ha-chan what happened. </em></span>
</p><p>
  <span><strong>Oikawa:</strong> <em>Yep. We were beat. Our cute little underclassman Kageyama was just the slightest bit better this time. JUST THE SLIGHTEST.</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span><strong>You:</strong> <em>Oh, that little shit again?</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span><strong>Oikawa:</strong> <em>EXACTLY.</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span><strong>You:</strong> <em>Well, I know that whatever happened, you both gave it everything you had. I’m really proud of you both.</em></span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a few, painstaking moments before he replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span><strong>Oikawa:</strong> <em>Thank you.</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span><strong>Oikawa:</strong> <em>I’m really glad you texted. </em></span>
</p><p>
  <span><strong>You:</strong> <em>So am I.</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span>_______________________________________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It felt a little silly after that, the way your face would light up whenever he would text. It did make you feel a little bad to be hiding it from your brother, but with their high school finals and your end of semester deadlines looming, it just didn’t feel like something to bother him with. It started out slow at first, a little text once a week, then every few days, then every day. It was hard to really have conversations when your brother was around you both at any given time and it felt… nice, having a little bubble of your own.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither of you was ever brave enough to make the conversations romantic, but each one felt intimate - stories you’d share that you didn’t think you’d ever say out loud, dreams and hopes and wishes. It was an unconscious line you toed - both aware of what it meant, how much this could upset the tenuous balance of your lives and neither one making the first move. He was still a flirty little bastard and loved pushing the limits with every chance he got, but he was kind, intelligent, gentle. There were so many sides you began to see to him that weren’t as apparent before. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The day they graduated from high school, your parents had decided to make a show of having a family dinner. They had handled the divorce as well as could be expected from people who had long fallen out of love with one another but somehow life after their separation seemed to just bring out the worst in them both. Your father had somehow decided this was the perfect occasion to introduce his children, and their mother to his new girlfriend. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dinner was awkward and stiff. Your mother was fuming, and you could tell from the matching expression on Hajime’s that he was too. You were just flabbergasted and hurt. You wanted to be happy for your dad, but it just felt like he was being selfish choosing to do something like this on a big day for Hajime without any kind of warning. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your mother had given you both a ride home, she had earlier decided to stay over at the house and make you breakfast that day but it seemed like she had changed her mind. She pulled out of the driveway, promising to pick you both up for breakfast instead. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ha-chan?” you turned to speak to your brother but he was already stomping up the stairs. The door slammed loud enough to rattle the windows and you sighed. You wanted to comfort him, but frankly you needed time on your own to process things too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Instead of heading into the house, you decided to take a walk through the neighborhood. Before long, you found yourself walking towards the old neighborhood park. As you got closer, you could hear the sounds of a volleyball slamming into the ground. Peeking past the trees, you could see Tohru in the fenced-up basketball court. He jogged to get the ball he had just spiked and walked back to his spot just under the net. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were about to reach the gate when he lined his arm up, one hand lifting the ball in a straight line. It was like you could feel the intense focus he had in that eyeline from the ball to the exact spot he wanted it to hit. He tossed it into the air, made his run up and slammed the ball down onto the further half of the court. The ball ricocheted hard and bounced against the fence, but still had the momentum to roll halfway across the court, almost the whole way back to him. You suddenly sighed out the breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You shouldn’t be out alone at night, you know,” he called as he reached down to pick up the ball.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I could say the same for you,” you replied, opening the gate and taking a seat at the bench on the side, next to his gym bag and water bottle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He walked over and flopped in to sit next to you, the ball resting on his hip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So what happened?” he asked. Somewhere along the lines of all the texts the more formal speech had disappeared, but still hearing it out loud made you blush. “Something must’ve brought you out here this late.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Today was quite the family dinner,” you said, tucking your hand behind your ear. The warmth radiating from his form was finally reaching you and it only worsened your blush. It felt like even your arms were blushing where you could feel the heat from his body. “What about you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pretty much the same,” he replied. His eyes were focused on the ball in his hands as he tossed and spun it between his hands. “I had a bit of an announcement for the family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I decided to accept a scholarship in Brazil.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?!” you hadn’t meant to, but your voice made him jump. You cleared your throat and continued in a quieter voice. “I mean, that’s quite the announcement.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a good school,” he replied. “They were willing to give me a full scholarship and a spot on their team. I leave for Brazil two weeks from now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s… that’s amazing, Tohru-kun,” you replied. You tried your best to sound cheerful. It was stupid, assuming that he’d go to a local university just because your brother was too. You know he must have had his pick of offers from teams everywhere with the kind of recognition he had gotten. It would make sense to pick the most prestigious of options. </span>
  <span>You hadn’t been able to stop yourself from hoping, though. Somewhere in the furthest little corner of your heart a little flame had been growing. A little voice that had dared to hope that he’d stick around just for you. And now that little flame was falling apart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You took a deep breath and steadied yourself. Somehow you knew this would always be coming - there’d be a time when he’d be moving on, just like everyone else in your life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You turned to smile at him. “I know you’ll do great at whatever you choose.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly you felt the ball slam into your arm. It didn’t hit you hard, but it surprised you. Tohru was glaring at you and you glared right back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ouch, what was that for?!” you demanded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re happy for me, aren’t you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I am!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then don’t sound so sad, goddamn it,” he grumbled. He sighed heavily and stood up. “Well since it’s a night for announcements, I may as well make all of them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you talking about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know for being so smart, sometimes you can be really dense, _____-chan,” he said, crossing his arms and staring down at you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“E-excuse me?!” you sputtered. That was the first time he’d called you anything other than “Nee-san”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I like you, goddamn it!” he still had his arms crossed and his pout was in full swing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your jaw fell slack and you gaped like a fish.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, say something!” his mask was well and truly cracking now, the flush on his cheeks almost bright enough to rival your own. The anger he’d had before was suddenly dissipating and he seemed to be deflating, his shoulders slumping. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-I like you too,” you said. “B-but-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Th-then don’t you dare think about anyone else while I’m gone!” he grumbled then sighed and sank into a squat in front of you. “That’s what I want to say, but… it’s three years. The whole scholarship is going to be three years long, I don’t know how often I’ll be able to make it home and maybe I’m just being selfish saying this now-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tohru,” you said, resting your hands on his shoulders. Your fingers were trembling a little with all the emotional upheaval but looking into his eyes, you’d never felt more sure. “I’ll wait for you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The relief in his smile was palpable, you felt his shoulders relax completely before he launched himself at you. His lips pressed to yours and you felt his hands cupping the sides of your face ever so softly. You reached up to pull him closer and you felt his hands become bolder, truly caressing your skin, his tongue softly parting your lips and pressing into yours.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When you pulled apart, he bit his lip and pressed your foreheads together. A million and one words unspoken in that little gesture. He moved in to kiss you again but you pressed a finger to his lips and he stared at you, blinking in surprise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll wait for you on one condition,” you smirked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, what’s that?” his lips curled, mirroring yours.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have to tell Ha-chan.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The look on his face was one you’d remember for the rest of your life. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. 03 || “ew, that is so sappy, i might vomit.” - terashima yuuji [PLATONIC YUUJIxREADER]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A/N: I hadn’t really come across any platonic Yuuji fics and I kind of thing he would be the best/worst best friend so here’s my take on it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“OUCH, goddamn it, that hurt!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, if you’d just STOP MOVING, I wouldn’t have to jam the goddamn pins into your head.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You huffed and crossed your arms, trying your best not to pout. Your boyfriend had asked you to be prepared for a fancy date and you had panicked and called the most fashionable person you knew. Having a best friend who was an apprentice hairdresser definitely had its perks, but he had also decided to be 100% his extra self with it and you’d been stuck in the chair at his salon for over two hours. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yuuji, there just isn’t that much time left,” you said, barely managing to cover your eyes before he misted your fringe with another blast of hairspray. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I told you I was going to make you look amazing, didn’t I?” his words were muffled around another bundle of bobby pins caught between his lips. His fingers suddenly pressed gently onto your chin, tilting your head side to side. “Actually, I think I’m done.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Finally!” you cheered, standing up in the chair and turning around. When your eyes fell on  your reflection you gasped. Your usually unruly hair was coiffed into the perfect updo - it was simple from the outside, an elegant french twist with a few decorative ringlets around the top and it screamed sophistication. “Yuuji, this is amazing! I mean, isn’t this kind of too much though…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s taking you to the goddamn opera,” Yuuji rolled his eyes. “Plus, we went shopping and got that fantastic dress - it makes your ass look awesome, by the way-” he swatted at it and you swatted his hand away, rolling your eyes. “I wasn’t about to let you walk away from me with that horrible bun you had going.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeaaaaaaah, it was pretty horrible,” you admitted. He’d even done your eye makeup for today and you were rocking a better smokey eye than you’d ever done on yourself. You topped it off with some red lipstick and you were done. “I should probably get going, it’s gonna start in an hour or so.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can give you a drive there,” Yuuji had already cleaned up all of his equipment and was slinging his bag over his shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aww, I can’t have you doing that too,” you said, picking up the clutch you’d brought with you for the evening. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, you can,” he insisted, blatantly staring at your chest. “You think I’m gonna let you walk all over the subway in that dress?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You blushed and shifted awkwardly, tugging the scarf over your chest. “You’re the one that picked the dress, you idiot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, because it makes you look fine as fuck,” he shrugged, already headed out the door with the shop keys spinning in his hand. “Are you coming or what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As you somehow folded yourself into the passenger seat of his car, you wondered how you’d even got into this situation. Yuuji had been a friend of a friend that you’d met when you moved up to Tokyo. As a bright eyed, first year communications student, your older classmates had taken it upon themselves to introduce you to absolutely everyone the city had to offer, the good and the bad.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As far as your friends were concerned, Yuuji was definitely part of the “bad”. Your friends were definitely annoyed by his overly flirtatious advances, but you had grown up overseas with three assholes for brothers and were used to this kind of nonsense. In fact, all the mindless joshing just reminded you of home. It was safe to say that none of them had expected the both of you to hit it off so well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A fair few had confided that they had thought you both were headed into a ginormous crash and burn. Growing up part of the time overseas had given you less of a personal space bubble than most, but you had tucked that and most of your outgoing personality away in favor of blending in with the student population. Meeting Yuuji was like a meteor and when you didn’t immediately act scandalized at his actions, he took advantage of that every chance he could get. To be honest, you could totally get where they were coming from. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At first it was a little unsettling, but you soon came to realize it was just his way of showing affection and that he truly didn’t mean anything by it. A hand over your shoulder, a sneaky little flirty comment, a wink thrown over his shoulder - it was all just him being… well, him. And to be honest, you loved him for it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite all his faults, he was always there for you when it really counted and all in all, he was a collection of all your Tokyo firsts. He was the first person to wish you a happy birthday in your new town, the first person to visit the temple with on New Year’s Day, and the first person to answer to offer help when you’d sprained your ankle on the way to class one morning. Soon, he was the first person you could tell about your first date with the ever elusive millionaire Kodzuken, the first person you had run to for advice when your feelings were getting overwhelming, the first person you had called when your (now) boyfriend had asked you to be prepared for this horribly fancy date.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That being said, this had been an odd day. You were usually used to his throwaway flirtation but you weren’t used to being showered with so much genuine affection. He had a surprising weekend off day and had picked you up from your house, taken you all over Ginza shopping for this horribly expensive dress and convinced his boss to let him do your hair at his shop for practice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The opera house wasn’t actually that far away by car and it wasn’t long before Yuuji was pulling into the parking lot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can just drop me off at the entrance!” you protested.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And trust you to walk up those steps without tripping in your heels?” he snorted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jerk,” you smiled, punching him in the arm. He stopped next to the entrance to the lift lobby and even got down to open the door for you. You took his hand to step out of the car then you abruptly pulled him in for a hug. He protested for a moment, before giving in and rubbing your back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for today,” you said, your voice tight. You suddenly felt misty and overwhelmed. “I know I don’t always say it but you’re the best friend a girl could have. I don’t know what I would’ve done all these years without you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ew,” he replied, pushing you away, a look of disgust on his face. “That is literally so sappy I might vomit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yuuji!” you shouted, laughing as you slapped at him with your clutch. He laughed as he fought you off and managed to wiggle through your arms to pull you in for another hug. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop crying, you idiot, you’ll mess up all my hard work,” he chuckled, wiping the tears from the corners of your eyes delicately with a finger. Despite his protests, up close you could see his eyes were misty too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll make it up to you,” you promised, giving his shoulder one last squeeze. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go get your man,” he said, gently pushing you off and giving your butt a smack when you turned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You stumbled a little in your heels and you heard him chuckle behind you. You raised a middle finger behind you as the glass doors to the lift lobby opened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Later that night, he was the recipient of yet another one of your firsts - he was the first person you called to say </span>
  <em>
    <span>the</span>
  </em>
  <span> Kodzuken had proposed and you had said yes. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. 04 || ““you say you’ll stop, but then you keep doing it!”” - terushima yuuji [NSFW]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I've been on a bit of a Yuuji kick and I've never written anything so nsfw before &gt;.&lt; I hope you like it! Not sure if I should do more of these or more of the cutesy fluffy ones.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>His breath was hot on your neck as you fumbled with your keys, the hands on your hips pulling your flush against him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, slow down, Yuuji,” you tried to sound firm, but your voice was husky and breathless. “I won’t be able to open the door.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine, fine,” he laughed, but his hands went right back to teasing at the skin under your shirt.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You say you’ll stop, but then you keep doing it!” your voice was more teasing than actually angry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then maybe I should just say what I want to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And what’s that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” he said simply and you could feel his smirk as he pressed open-mouthed kisses to your shoulder, every once in a while the tell-tale smoothness a reminder of the tongue piercing that had gotten you into this mess in the first place. His hips pressed into you, the hard length against your thigh making you moan. You wanted him inside you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You pushed open the door and the sigh of relief quickly turned into a gasp. He immediately pressed you against the wall, kicking the door closed with his foot behind him. He bit into your neck and you growled as your hands gripped his hair and tugged. He moaned and chuckled. He pushed his knee between yours, pressing at the apex of your thighs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You like this, don’t you?” he asked, his breath hot against your neck. He slipped a hand past the waistband of your skirt and into your panties and you could only moan in reply. His lips pressed into yours and you were drowning in the taste of him - the whiskey you shared at the bar, the tobacco from his cigarettes and just </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His fingers were pressing insistently into your clit and your knees were getting weak. Your hands gripped his neck as he bit just under your ear, his name was spilling over and over from your lips. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s it, baby,” he purred as his fingers moved faster and faster against you. His voice was silk in your ear, a hand wrapped around your waist, holding you up as your knees grew weak. “That’s it, cum for me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He held you, his words finally pushing you over the edge, pressing kisses to your shoulder. When you could finally get some purchase with your legs, you were both chuckling a little.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was amazing,” you kissed him, tugging him closer by the collar of his shirt. “But I’m not done with you yet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was thinking the same thing,” he smiled. He held your hand as you stumbled your way to the bedroom. He kissed you and you didn’t think you could ever get more breathless. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t supposed to be this good, this easy. You’d met him your first night on your trip to Tokyo. You’d decided to take in the nightlife by visiting the first bar you found with menus in English posted out near the front. It was a great place, and it felt like the crowd itself was pulsing with the music. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It didn’t take you long to find him. He leaned against the bar, oversized tank top hanging off his shoulders in just the right way, his arms looked like they were sculpted from gold under the glow of the yellow lights. When you came to stand next to him, he offered to buy you a drink. The faint smell of hair dye and shampoo was a dead giveaway for his job but his English was a surprise. It was barely accented, damn near perfect and you could tell he was intelligent. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was also an exceptional conversationalist. He got you talking about everything and nothing and you had to admit he had game. The first night, it was just conversation, pulling you in with his gorgeous tenor voice and the secretive smirk turning up the corners of his mouth. The second night, it wasn’t that you’d made any explicit plan to meet up but there you were, sipping your whiskey as he told you about his high school volleyball days - you’d stayed out so late that he had walked you home in the twilight of the morning. On the third night, you’d finally asked if you could see his piercing and he said he’d show you all the things he could do with it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And goddamn did he show you. The way he kissed you, you felt like you’d never had a proper kiss in your life. He nibbled your lip and moved just right, and left you a moaning, breathless mess in his arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The back of your legs hit the mattress and he playfully pushed you onto it, pulling off his t-shirt and unbuckling his belt. You giggled and sat back up, pushing his hands away and pulling his pants the rest of the way off yourself. You eagerly took him into your mouth, his hands tangling into your hair as he moaned. You looked up into his eyes and he moaned again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, you feel so good,” his voice was dark, silk to your ears. When your hands wrapped around him to stroke in time with your mouth, he was almost undone. He tugged your hair gently to pull you away and your lips lifted off with a pop. He playfully growled as he tackled you back onto the bed and his name spilled into a giggle on your lips. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He made quick work of the rest of your clothes and his mouth was on you again, tugging and sucking at your nipple before moving down the soft skin of your belly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love these curves,” he grinned up at you as his hands gripped your hips. He bit the skin under your belly button and you yelped and swatted at his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grabbed your hand with one of his and sucked your fingers into his mouth as he parted your legs with the other. He placed your hand against the skin of your hip and slide it down to gently part your lower lips. You tried to press your legs together on reflex, but he gently pushed you open.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Keep yourself spread for me,” he began kissing down the inside of your thigh, the little flashes of his tongue piercing against your skin teasing what was to come. He kissed your skin, tracing the outline of your hand, always coming so close but never giving you what you want. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yuuji, please,” you begged, squirming against the bedsheets.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please what?” he smirked, running his tongue along your fingers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“P-please, I want to feel it on me,” you begged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Feel it where?” he teased, biting into the skin of your thigh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck it, Yuuji, please!” you grumbled and squirmed, your hips bucking up with need.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He laughed and pressed your hips down into the mattress, you were going to grumble at him again but he pressed his lips into you and every complaint just melted into a moan. He was as good as he was with his words, teasing you with his tongue. The smooth, warm piercing wreaking havoc on your sensitive skin. He pressed his fingers inside you, first two then three. The stretch was just perfect, everything felt like it was so much, too much.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You arched your back as you came again, his arm pulling your hips closer, your hands gripping at his hair and you felt him moan and laugh as he licked you through the throes of your orgasm. He finally stopped, kissing his way up your chest. “I want to be inside you,” he whispered, nibbling your ear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please,” leaving kisses and bites of your own against his shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He left for a moment to slip on a condom from the pocket of his jeans and then he was on top of you again. His forehead pressed to yours as he slowly pushed himself into you. God, he was big but he took his time, starting out slowly moving in and out of you. You were thankful that he was being considerate, but… you needed more. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You bit into his shoulder and he growled, suddenly thrusting hard into you. You moaned and he smirked, kissing you hard as he began to pick up the pace, driving harder and faster into you. It was like a dance, you’d never had a lover who could meet you this easily, sync up with your wants so instinctually. Your nails dragged down his back as you both reached your peak, your name spilling from his lips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He slowly pulled out and you bit your lip to stifle the moan at the loss. He tossed the condom into the trashcan by the bed and flopped on top of you. You laughed, but didn’t move to chase him away, honestly the weight felt amazing and you’d never say no to after-sex cuddles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So,” he said, eyes closed, his head resting on your belly. “When do you leave?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In three days,” you replied, twirling his hair in little spirals around your fingers. You sighed. It had only been three nights but the thought of having to leave this country and put this behind you weighed heavy on your heart. He reached up and took your hand, pressing a kiss to your palm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And when are you going to come back?” he asked looking up at you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Back to Japan?” you asked, laughing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, you have a reason to now, don’t you?” he grinned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You definitely did. </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. 05 || “for starters, that’s impossible.” - kozume kenma</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>You find out you're pregnant, but is your youtuber/streamer/CEO boyfriend ready to be a dad?</p><p>A/N: Sorry this took so long! I was hoping to get this out earlier but it took me a while and still doesn't feel right, but I decided to post it anyway. Hope you like it &lt;3 In my head Idk why Kenma is very... cat-like with his mannerisms so I chose to incorporate that here.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You frowned and chewed your lip, your foot tapping nervously against the cold bathroom floor. The two thin lines on the pregnancy test in front of you felt like they were screaming pure chaos into the silence of your bathroom. </p><p>BANG. You yelped, the pregnancy test clattered to the floor. Someone had tried to open the door but, thankfully you’d locked it and you heard their hand slip off the handle. </p><p>“Oh, you’re still in here,” Kenma’s voice was muffled from the other side of the door. “Sorry, I’ll go use the other one.”</p><p>You’d never been more thankful for his three bedroom, two bath apartment. You heard him shuffle away and you finally felt like you could breathe again. </p><p>You set about cleaning the bathroom. It at least gave you something to do. You scrubbed the shower and toilet bowl a bit, neatened up all the things on the counter (although this was the “guest” bathroom and nothing much was on there anyway). Gathering up the used pregnancy tests, you put them into the plastic bag from the pharmacy. You carefully put them into a drawer under the sink. </p><p>One, two, three sets of double lines. You’d even gotten different brands just to be sure. How could this happen? I mean you knew how it could happen but you had been so damn careful. You’d been stuck at home because your office was being renovated so you’d been having a lot of sex, more than usual, but you always used condoms. You’d always been so careful but...</p><p>“I guess life finds a way,” you chuckled sadly to yourself. </p><p>You had been dating for two years before you began living together. It just made sense - you were both busy with your respective careers, you were a marketing executive quickly climbing the corporate ladder and he had a varied portfolio of things to work on. Moving in minimized travel time, made dates and cuddles so much more accessible and cut down on your expenses. </p><p>Things had been going great, and your lives fit together like perfect puzzle pieces, but marriage or family or settling down - it just wasn’t anything you had talked about. Everything seemed so far away - you were both barely 25 and had so many dreams and aspirations... how would a baby fit in to all of that?</p><p>Plus, it was him. Kenma had made a bit of a name for himself as Kodzuken - YouTuber, gamer, streamer extraordinaire. He blossomed when he had a game to introduce or cast, but social situations in general still made him clam up, arms reflexively crossed and his signature frown creasing his forehead. Would he even want to be a father?</p><p>You pause, your hand on the handle and your breath hitching in your throat. This was a lot to take in, if it was this nerve wracking for you, you were sure Kenma would feel the same way. And you loved him, your relationship was strong but there was only so much any relationship could take... would this break you?</p><p>You bit your lip hard, forcing a deep breath and rapidly blinking away the tears in your eyes. Whatever it was, your answers all lay on the other side of the door. </p><p>As you stepped out into the living room, you could hear Kenma chatting to his friends on Discord in his gaming/streaming room. The door was open so he wasn’t live, but it did sound like he was in the middle of a ranked game so you got a little stack of sticky notes and paper.</p><p>“Hey, when you’re done, can we talk for a bit? I’ll make some honey milk tea.” </p><p>You crept up next to him and kissed his head so you wouldn’t jostle his headphones and stuck your note on the wall, off the side of his monitor. As you turned to leave, he caught your hand and gave your wrist a quick kiss before going back to your game. You smiled and gave his hand a squeeze in return. </p><p>You headed to the kitchen and started on the milk tea. The wait was killing you, but it gave you the time to gather your thoughts. You knew he loved you and you loved him too, but was this really the best time? The best place to have the baby? If you thought about it, your apartment was definitely big enough and you could give up the spare bedroom you’d been using as an occasional office whenever you worked from home. </p><p>Still, the thought beckoned to you. It wasn’t that you’d never pictured it before. A little child running around with his hair or your eyes. You wondered if they’d have his height or your fingers, if they’d like to eat the same things. If they’d have your music taste or Kenma’s love for video games. If they’d pick up Kenma’s little cat-like habit of nuzzling at things, or your own of wanting to cuddle up super close. </p><p>It was only natural to picture that when you were in love, wasn’t it? </p><p>But this was Kenma. You weren’t sure if changing diapers and late night wake up calls were his thing. Sure, he was fine with Kuroo’s daughter, in small doses and he was definitely responsible, if a little distracted whenever a new game came out. You could probably figure it out, right? Plus there were parenting courses and books and lots of things to help. You could both definitely afford it, but time was always going to be a struggle…</p><p>And yet you wanted this. Your heart sang at the thought of him holding your child in his arms. It was so hard to keep from hoping that he’d want a child too. </p><p>When you finally heard him put down his headphones, you were just pouring the hot tea through a sieve into the pot. He shuffled out of the bedroom, hands in the pockets of his oversized black hoodie and sat at the seat across the bar. </p><p>“Are you okay?” he asked, tucking a strand of hair that had escaped his bun behind his ear. “You were in the bathroom for a long time.”</p><p>He was always straightforward with you and ridiculously perceptive, but his words still made your stomach clench with nerves. </p><p>“You know how I’ve been feeling kinda iffy lately?” you began, stirring a spoon of honey into the milky tea. “I haven’t had much of an appetite and I’ve been really tired.”</p><p>“Mm,” he replied, looking up at you, concerned now. “Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?”</p><p>“No, no, it’s not that,” you replied, reaching across and taking his hands in yours. He waited patiently while you gathered your thoughts, letting you play with his hands. </p><p>“I.... I noticed I was kinda late for my period,” you said quietly. His hands suddenly stiffened in your grasp and your voice trembled as you carried on. “I took a few tests... I think I’m pregnant.”</p><p>The silence was deafening. You let his hands gently fall to the countertop as your wrung your own with nerves. You didn’t dare to look at his expression as you spoke. </p><p>“I know it’s a difficult thing to think about all of a sudden. You have so much on your plate and I might be due to get that promotion,” you said, your words felt like they were tumbling over one another in your mouth. “We don’t need to make any decisions right away, but we’ll need to decide soon what we want to do-“</p><p>“Wait, what?” Kenma interrupted. You finally looked up at him and you saw he was pale and his eyes were round as saucers. You saw he had been fidgeting too, the sleeves of his enormous hoodie caught between his fingers. </p><p>“It’s… definitely a surprise,” he said. His voice was surprisingly tight. Suddenly he leaned forward, slumping onto the counter and burying his face in the crook of his arm. “I-it’s a surprise but... do you not want it?”</p><p>“N-no! That’s not what I meant at all!” you reached forward to take his free hand in yours again. “I-I didn’t want to set my heart on anything, I just don’t know what to do.”</p><p>“This isn’t really how I expected this conversation to go,” you admitted, rubbing his cheek with a finger and he leaned into your touch. He sighed heavily, pulling your hands to his face so he could nuzzle into them. “Kenma… I’m sorry if I said something hurtful. I know a baby is a lot. It’s a surprise and I didn’t know how you’d take it. I wasn’t sure if you’d even still want to be with me - ow!”</p><p>Kenma glared up at you, the finger he’d bitten still in his mouth. He gently pulled it out from between his teeth and kissed it then pulled it closer so it was entwined with his under his chin. </p><p>“For starters, that’s impossible,” he said, sitting up in the stool. “You’d be lost without me-”</p><p>“Hey!”</p><p>“And,” he continued, ignoring your outburst. “I think a baby could be… fun.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yeah,” he shrugged. “My schedule is flexible, and didn’t you say you’d get more work from home time with your promotion?”</p><p>“I mean, I did-”</p><p>“There’s plenty of room in the apartment.”</p><p>“There is, but-”</p><p>“But what?”</p><p>“Kenma, you’d be a dad,” you blurted out. “And I’d be a mom. Would we even make good parents?”</p><p>He looked down and grimaced, rubbing apologetically at the bite mark on your finger. </p><p>“When I was younger, I always wanted someone to play games with,” he admitted. “I always wished I could play games with my dad.”</p><p>You walked around the side of the counter and he turned to face you, pulling you close. Even sitting down on the bar stool, he was still tall enough for you to bury your face into his chest. </p><p>“You’d make a great mom,” he said, running his long fingers through your hair. “You’re always looking after me, I’m sure you’ll be great at looking after them too.”</p><p>“You really want this?” you asked, looking into his amber eyes. </p><p>“Do you?” he asked you in reply. A deep blush made your cheeks glow and you nodded, biting your lip. </p><p>“Then that’s all we need,” he smiled, pulling you in for a kiss. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. 06 || “if you cared about me, you wouldn’t do this.” - tsukishima kei [angst] [gender neutral]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A/N: Well this was a monster of a thing to write at 3AM. Warning for angst, swearing and knee injury. 3k words. This reader-insert fic is gender neutral.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was your 24th birthday when you heard the worst sound you’d ever heard in your life. The strangled shout that left your boyfriend’s mouth seemed barely audible in the sound of the cheering of the crowd but the silence that followed showed you otherwise. He had jumped, making another one of those incredible blocks of his and he had landed hard on his leg then suddenly crumpled to the ground and that sound.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You ran from the stands straight down to the lower level towards the doors onto the court. Two of his teammates were already carrying him towards the sick bay and you quickly fell in step behind them. You couldn’t see his face and honestly you were terrified of looking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They set him on the bed and he groaned in pain again as they set him down. Now you could see he was pale and he had bitten his lips so hard that it was bleeding slightly. His eyes were shut tight, his face a mask of pain. He didn’t even seem to register when you placed your hand on his arm and came to stand next to him. The nurse quizzed his teammates on what happened as she began her initial examinations.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s his knee,” one of them supplied. “I heard something snap.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck, that wasn’t good.</span>
  </em>
  <span> You glanced over but his knees seemed normal, other than a slight swelling on the right one. The nurse carefully examined him and signaled someone nearby to call an ambulance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kei, are you alright?” you asked, sliding your hand down his arm to where he was gripping the side of the stretcher tight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You rubbed small circles into the back of his hand, but he didn’t respond. You knew he was probably in a world of pain and you figured your actions probably weren’t getting through the processing. Still, the silence chilled you to the bone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His teammates kindly gathered his things for you and you rode with him on the way to the hospital, texting Kei’s older brother - the only family member whose number you had saved in your phone. You weren’t allowed into the examination room with him and you paced the halls anxiously. His family arrived sooner than you’d thought - Akiteru must’ve driven like a mad man to get there. You thought you’d finally have some company but the nurses quickly ushered them in and you were again left to your thoughts. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had been pushing himself. Tonight’s game was a big one - his team was trying to break into the upper ranks of their division and winning would’ve given them the push they needed to make a break for finals. Practices had ramped up intensely nearing the start of the tournament and between his work for the museum, your own job and commitments to the team, you had hardly seen each other for the past 2 months. You knew how hard he had been trying and you’d tried to just give him space - sent him encouraging texts, and you’d managed a fair few video calls but it felt ridiculous doing that when you lived less than half an hour away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tonight was going to be different. He’d called to invite you to his game, and you were overjoyed at the thought of getting to see him. You were going to have dinner and you’d prepped an overnight bag to stay at his apartment after. You even wore the oversized dinosaur hoodie - a matching set with his. He wouldn’t be wearing it since he’d be in uniform, but you hoped he’d appreciate the though. You were fairly sure he’d forgotten it was your birthday but you weren’t going to hold it over him. You knew how busy he was and honestly, spending the night in your boyfriend’s arms would’ve been the perfect birthday present after how busy you’d both been. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” a familiar voice made you look up and you saw Akiteru had emerged from the doctor’s office and his parents were right behind. You exchanged hugs and Kei’s mom thanked you tearfully for being there for him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was nothing, honestly, his teammates were the ones who helped him out,” you said, rubbing the back of your neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Still, it makes me feel so good to know you’re here and closer to him than we are,” she said, her husband nodding agreement as he squeezed your shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tsukishima family? L/n-san?” the doctor called from the doorway of the room. “If you could come in?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You entered the doorway and you saw him seated on the bed, right leg bound with a tight splint on his knee. He looked up at you, but his eyes were red-rimmed and distant. He was looking at you, but wasn’t really seeing you. Still you couldn’t help but rush over to his side. You wanted to just bundle him into your chest and cuddle the pain away, but you settled for reaching out to squeeze gently at his arm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, are you okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” he mumbled, looking down at the scratchy hospital bed sheet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He got lucky,” the doctor said, drawing your attention to the x-rays she had on her clipboard. She showed you the gray blobs, pointing out what seemed to be the problem. “He has a minor tear on his tendon, but it’s nothing some time and rest can’t fix. He’s out of commission for the next few months but with some proper rest and some physiotherapy, he should be just fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, thank God,” his mother said. Akiteru let out a huge sigh of relief and braced himself with a hand against the wall. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s great, isn’t it, Kei-chan?” you asked. He didn’t answer. His fist was clenched around the bedsheet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s definitely going to need to be off his feet for the next 6 weeks or so,” the doctor said, pointing her clipboard at you. “His family tells me you live nearby?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” you nodded. “Is there anything I can do to help?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I told you, I’ll be fine,” Kei ground out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You will if you get some rest,” the doctor retorted. Her tone made it clear that a few hours was plenty of time for her to be well acquainted with his stubbornness. “He’ll have crutches but standing for long periods of time is going to be hard. Just try to keep him off his feet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What happened to the game?” Kei asked his brother. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kei…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What happened to the game?” he repeated, glaring at Akiteru’s shrinking form. His brother’s face held everything he needed to know.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kei, you haven’t even touched your soup.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not hungry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You sighed, picking up another cold tray of food he’d refused to eat. Breakfasts were easier, and you could convince him to eat a more or less decent meal on most days, but dinners were always hard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His mom had stayed with him for the first few days after the hospital, but since you lived so much closer it made sense for you to take over helping him out. He was pretty mobile for short periods on his crutches and he could manage things like changing clothes and he’d be damned if he’d allow you to help him in the bathroom. Things like groceries, cooking and cleaning were tough for him to manage. Still, he was too stubborn for his own good and you knew he’d been trying to do things around the house on his own. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your unruly patient was currently sitting on his living room couch, buried in his work. The museum had allowed him to stay at home and work on their database remotely. That seemed to be what had consumed most of his days. You would come by every morning to help him get breakfast sorted and leave some things prepped for lunch, then come by in the evenings to make him dinner and help keep the place more or less clean. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He just needs time</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you told yourself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Time to process what happened, time to work through being out of commission for his team. Time to stop blaming himself for them losing the game. Time to get back to being himself.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It became a mantra you told yourself. A one-sided conversation that happened whenever your conversations in real life became one-sided too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I got you some strawberry shortcake - your favourite.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” At least he ate half of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kei-chan, they’re showing Jurassic Park again at 9, do you want to watch?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have work.” Nothing he couldn’t put off, but he worked anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I ran into Tadashi today, he said he hopes you feel better soon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” He doesn’t even look up from his computer. You make a mental note to ask Tadashi when was the last time they spoke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He just needs time.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Weeks later, he’s managed to heal up - physically, at least.  He’s well enough now to move mostly without crutches, and he can make occasional trips to work. He mentions a few new collections arriving for the museum and seems to lose himself in it. He doesn’t need your daily visits anymore, but you still try to stop by at least every other day. You try to focus on your work too, burying yourself into your new projects like your life depended on it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was finally nearing the end of a week of long nights and you’d been too busy to check in on him after the previous weekend. You decided to bring over some ice cream and you’d noticed a new documentary on dinosaurs on Netflix and hopefully, maybe tonight you’d get a breakthrough. A little crack in the armor that would help you get through to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were just turning the corner in the corridor to his apartment when you heard it again. A loud bang followed by </span>
  <em>
    <span>that sound. </span>
  </em>
  <span>That horrible, pained shout.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You rushed forward and found him slumped against the open front door, hand gripping the handle and leaning heavily on his good leg. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kei-chan, what are you doing?!” you shouted, rushing forward to prop him up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the hell are you doing here?” he growls at you under his breath. The venom in his words is a little lost then he allows you to prop him up and help him through the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I came to check up on you,” you said, helping him in and lowering him down on the couch, lifting his bad leg and stretching it out onto the seat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You immediately chucked the ice cream in the freezer and pulled out the small collection of cold packs you’d kept there ever since his injury. You grabbed a towel and covered his knee with it, before packing the ice packs on. He hissed when you put them on - whether from pain or from the cold, you didn’t know. And frankly, right now, you didn’t care. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So,” you began and you saw him stiffen at your tone. “What were you doing out without your knee brace?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked away from you, his jaw clenching. You crossed your arms. That silent treatment might have worked before, but it had gone on for long enough.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kei, you were out in training gear, without your knee brace on,” you said. You felt your voice rising, but you didn’t care. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“And?” he asked, raising his eyebrow at you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The doctor said you needed another three weeks of rest to make sure you’re-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> fine! You could have gotten seriously hurt!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whatever,” he pushed his glasses up, still staring determinedly away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kei, for God’s sake just have a proper conversation with me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I told you, I’m fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tsukishima Kei-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why the fuck do you care?” he finally snapped, finally turning to look at you. “I don’t need someone to be hovering over every damn thing I do!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not hovering, I’m trying to help!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, clearly you haven’t managed that, have you? I don’t understand why you’re even still here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because I care about you! I wouldn’t be here every damn day if I didn’t-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well maybe you should find someone else to worry about.” His words struck you like ice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you saying, Kei?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You want to worry about someone so much, then go find someone else to worry about,” he repeated. With each word it felt like the sinking stone in your chest just picked up momentum. “You think any of this even makes a difference? Just go find someone else to bother.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“To </span>
  <em>
    <span>bother</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” you somehow choked out. Your voice was soft, hollow. Your heart felt like it had been replaced by a block of ice. You let out a shaky breath you hadn’t even realized you were holding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You got up and stumbled a little to the chest of drawers by the front door. You dug out the large shopping bag you knew you had stashed there from your last shopping trip. Your hands and feet were numb and you couldn’t bring yourself to look at him, but… fine. If this is really what he wanted, then… fine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You made your way wordlessly to the shelf and picked out a few of your books that you’d left behind, doing your best to ignore his presence on the couch. You walked past his bedroom to the bathroom, picking up your toiletries and the hairbrush and spare toothbrush you kept in the drawers under the sink. You made your way into the bedroom next and when you opened the closet, you finally felt tears begin to prick at your eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You took in a harsh breath and willed yourself not to cry. You slipped your clothes off the hangers, grabbed shirts from your corner of the drawers and tossed them into the bag on top of everything. When your hand finally reached for the matching dinosaur hoodies - kept side by side, the bridge between your side of the closet and his, you suddenly realized he was standing in the doorway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” he asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You let out a weak chuckle at him repeating the question that got you in this mess in the first place. You unhooked the hoodie from it’s hanger and tossed it into the bag. He called your name, but you refused to turn to look at him, reaching into the drawer that held all of your pants and shorts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to get hurt if you keep walking like that,” you said plainly, turning to pick up your bag from the bed. “You want me gone, so I’m going. I won’t “</span>
  <em>
    <span>bother</span>
  </em>
  <span>” you anymore-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y/n, please,” he said, grabbing your arm. His voice had cracked and when you looked up at him you saw his eyes were wet. “Please, just stop.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you want from me, Kei?” you asked, unable to stop your own tears from spilling over anymore. “Just what do you want from me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pulled you into his arms, his tall frame crumpling against yours. You barely manage to sit back onto the bed, helping him to sit next to you as his hands fist into the back of your shirt, his face buried in your neck as hot tears spill over onto your collarbone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, fuck, I’m sorry,” his voice was tight between the sobs. “I’m a wreck, I’m a fucking wreck, just please don’t go. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You held him as he cried into your shoulder, rubbing your hands up and down his back. His usually broad shoulders felt so small wrapped up in your arms. You pulled him close into you and his breathing slowly calmed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just talk to me, Kei,” you plead. “Please, just talk to me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m a wreck,” he says. His voice was still trembling and broken. “I can’t do anything right. Not one thing. We needed that game. We needed to win so badly and now I’m stuck like this for months and I can’t do right by the team, I can’t do right by my mom and dad, or Nii-chan and I-I can’t do right by </span>
  <em>
    <span>you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>All I am is a goddamn </span>
  <em>
    <span>burden.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Kei</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” you squeezed him tight. “You know that’s not true. None of this is your fault.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“All I’ve been doing is causing trouble for </span>
  <em>
    <span>everyone</span>
  </em>
  <span>, absolutely fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>everyone</span>
  </em>
  <span> like some helpless, useless piece of-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare finish that sentence,” you pulled away from him and looked right into his eyes. His glasses were askew and his face was wet with tears, red blossoming under his eyes. “You said, it didn’t you? You didn’t ask me to do any of that and you didn’t have to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“<em>Kei</em>,” you said, you pulled off his glasses and gently set them on the table next to the bed. “Life is going to get hard, it’s bound to, but that doesn’t mean I’m just going to leave you struggling. I’ll be here as long as you want me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He leaned forward and rested his forehead against your chest. “I do want you,” he mumbled, voice muffled in your shirt. He gently pulled at you, bringing you down to lay on the bed with him and buried himself into your chest, his fingers still gripping into the back of your shirt.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then please look after yourself,” you said, running your fingers through his hair. “If you cared about me, you wouldn’t do this. You know how proud it makes me to see you out on that court, how happy I am when I see how passionate you are about the game. I know it’s hard to be stuck like this but it’s just a while longer, just a little bit of time and some work and you’ll be out there in no time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He snuggled in closer and nodded into your chest. You rubbed the back of his neck and slowly his grip on your shirt loosened as he relaxed. He finally pulled away to look up at you and you smiled at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” he said, reaching up to cup your face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know,” you replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” he said, leaning in for a kiss.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. 07 || “stealing to survive!” - nishinoya yuu</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was a request from tumblr!:<br/>hi, can i get a nishinoya imagine with prompt 15 please? 🥺❤️ thank you so much!</p><p>A/N: Ok anon I am a dumb who doesn’t know which post you’re referring to but I went to the last prompt list i had reblogged and chose that one D: IF YOU DIDN’T WANT ANGST I AM SO SORRY. I just binge-watched Given and have been blasting Fuyunohanashi on repeat. I chose Bali cause it’s somewhere I’ve been to a couple times and honestly loved it. I hope you’ll like this too!</p><p>I’m meant to be writing the next part to Sparkle as well and the next thing out will be either that one or some Terushima smut (ty for the request, anon &lt;3) </p><p>Contains: Angst, gender neutral reader but penetrative sex is mentioned with seme!Noya, 1070 words</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="">
  <p></p>
  <div class="">
    <p>The world was a big, big place. It was a simple statement, but one that Yuu realized he had never truly understood until he began his journey. He had decided to head as far away from home as he could and work his way through the world from there. Things had been amazing and his thirst for knowledge had kept him moving, running, sailing through one place after another, eagerly drinking up everything each place had to offer. </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>He had jumped from place to place, staying only so long before the pull of the unknown made him move again. He had spent the last year touring Europe and he once again felt the draw for something new. His shipmates in Italy had recommended South-East Asia as his next destination and he had decided Bali was as good a place as any. He bundled up his backpack - noticeably lighter after giving away his warmer clothes (he wouldn’t have any use for them in the tropics) and bought the first ticket out that he could. </p>
  </div>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Arriving at the airport he was hit by the heat and humidity - the air itself felt like it melted into the sea that surrounded him. It was easy enough to get a cab to his hostel near the main tourist hub and he figured he’d take a walk before turning in for the night. Everything around him felt like being inside a kaleidoscope. People from all over the world, speaking languages he hadn’t heard before, sights and sounds that seemed at once ancient and modern. The evening air was alive in a way that he hadn’t felt in a long time. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The familiar thrum of newness was in his veins, but deep down inside - somewhere nestled in the darkest corners that he never bothered to examine too closely was the weight of missing home. Everything around him had the air of the festivals back home - even down to the occasional lantern hanging out of a shop window. Truth be told, he had felt it for a while a different kind of pull, a loneliness that only the known could fill. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Suddenly, he turned a corner and was hit with the smell of something incredibly familiar - curry. Not the mysterious mixture of spices that made up Indian curry, not the creaminess of English curry, just the simple, onion-y scent of Japanese curry and he could have sworn he felt tears prick at his eyes.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He followed his nose to a small cafe, homey and nestled in between a clothing shop and an ice cream parlor. Calico Fusion Cafe was printed in smooth white lines directly onto the glass. He pushed open the door and the chime over his head drew your attention to him. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hi, welcome!” you called from behind the counter. “Why don’t you take a seat? I’ll be with you shortly.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He was long past being flustered by people speaking English to him, but something about you took his breath away. You were dressed in a black shirt with the logo of the cafe printed in a faded white, denim shorts, flip flops and a short white apron tied around your waist. He watched as you picked up the tray of drinks from the barista and served two other tables before coming over to take his order.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“So what can I get you today?” you smiled and his breath hitched. One smile. That one smile and he knew he’d be eating at this cafe for the rest of his stay here. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It was just stolen time, he reminded himself. Every time he stayed a little too late at the cafe, every time you allowed him to walk you home, every time the tense silence hung between you when you said goodbye. They were little gulps of air so sweet that they weren’t meant for someone like him - someone just passing through, someone who would inevitably be swept by the tides of whatever was calling him onward, outward, away.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It was a learning experience, he tried to convince himself. He’d discovered you weren’t local, and you weren’t Japanese either - a traveler, just making your way through the world like he was. He learned that your favourite place on the island was a tree on a beach away from the crowds. He figured out that the dappled light from the trees hitting the sand reminded him of meeting his first crush in middle school behind the baseball field. He found that when he kissed you there, your lips felt like home pulling his heart dangerously close to an orbit he knew he shouldn’t fall into. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And still he was selfish. He couldn’t help himself from tangling his daily life inexorably with yours, ignoring all the longing looks you gave when you thought he wasn’t looking, ignoring the way your eyes would sometimes tear up when he kissed you.  And ultimately ignoring the sound of his heart falling apart when he bought the plane ticket to his next destination. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The last night he spent with you, he threw all caution to the wind. Teeth left marks that would linger, at least for a while after he was gone and and your voices said words that would echo on. You were both reckless, hungry, carelessly leaving clothes in your wake all over your apartment. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It was closure, wasn’t it? At least that’s what he tried to tell himself as he pressed inside you and you moaned his name into his skin. The fulfilment of months of tension, culminating in a night that neither of you would ever forget. It was pulling this chapter, these moments stolen to survive, into a neat and tidy little corner. A box he sealed with every step he took further away, slammed with a grim finality when he felt the wheels of the plane lift off the ground. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He reached into his bag to pull out his phone for some music when he noticed a little envelope stuffed deep, near the very bottom of the back pocket. Inside it a simple braided leather anklet and a note, left unsigned but he recognized your handwriting. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’ll see you when I see you. Thanks for everything.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He bent down and slipped it onto his leg and at least for now, until he had filled it up with enough discoveries to drown out the ones he had with you, he would hold those words close to his heart.</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. 08 || “crossed wires” - kuroo tetsurou</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Request:<br/>Hi!!!! Big fan, big fan! Was wondering if you could do a jealous Kuroo. S/O watching one of his volleyball game, he’s so focused on winning, doesn’t notice the crowd of guys around s/o flirting and what not. After the game, Kuroo gives them a piece of his mind 😇😇😇😇😇</p><p>A/N: Hi Anon! Sorry this is super late. Honestly jealously was kind of hard to me to write and in my mind Kuroo is just a massive dork so I modified this a wee bit. I hope you like it! Also you didn’t specify so I wrote this fic with the reader being gender neutral. ALSO I KNOW HE DOESN’T WEAR GLASSES (AT LEAST I DON’T THINK SO) but my in my head older Kuroo totally needs them</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You bit back a curse as you slipped past the gym doors just as they were about to close. You hated your boss. She knew you were meant to be attending your boyfriend’s volleyball game but she had given you a rush of things to do at the very last minute and you’d already missed the first set.</p><p>Racing up the steps to the seats, you saw that most of the spots near the front were full, except for an area to the side, near the next set of stairs. You made your way over, bowing repeatedly to the other spectators and finally made it to your seat. It was actually a pretty good seat, and you arrived just as the setter tossed the ball and Kuroo slammed it down to the court.</p><p>You jumped and cheered with the crowd and you saw your boyfriend scan the crowd to find you. You waved and called his name and his eyes lit up when he saw you and he waved excitedly back. You sat down and felt a weight lift off your heart. You’d made it in time to support him, even if it was a little late.</p><p>Soon you were wrapped up in watching the game. Kuroo’s team were slowly pulling ahead and by the middle of the second set it was clear they were going to take it. You jumped to your feet and cheered with the supporters around you. You were so wrapped up that it was a while before you noticed the group of young men who came to sit around you. One right next to you, and one on the bench above and one below.</p><p>“So you like volleyball huh?” the one sitting next to you asked, startling you out of your focus. He had short trimmed hair and a sweet smile that was half-hidden behind a black face mask.</p><p>“Yeah, my boyfriend is on the blue team,” you said, hoping the mention of your boyfriend would put a stop to further inquiries.</p><p>“Oh, I see,” he said, although the information didn’t seem to be a surprise to him.</p><p>“I mean, I understand the appeal,” the man sitting in front of you suddenly piped up. He grinned at you from under his cap. He seemed to only be a little taller than you, but he radiated a simple kind of confidence. “Tall, muscly guys, tight, tight shorts.”</p><p>“Well, maybe I’ll ask my boyfriend and see if he can’t introduce you,” you responded, a fake smile plastered all over your face. You found that it melted into a genuine smile when his friends laughed at his flustered sputtering.</p><p>“We play volleyball too,” the voice from behind you made you start. The guy behind you was impossibly tall, white blonde hair hidden under a hoodie. He was sitting with his arms spread, elbows resting on the backs of the seats on either side. Despite his enormous size, his grin was boyish and warm.</p><p>“Great, well then you’ll really get along,” you laughed.</p><p>“We just might,” piped up the voice next to you. “Which one is he?”</p><p>__</p><p>
  <em>Three points more, three points more, three points more.</em>
</p><p>The chant was like a thrum in Kuroo’s veins. He was the blood, he was the oxygen, he was the force moving through the court, he was keeping the brain moving. He wasn’t playing for Nekoma anymore, but the image was burned into his memory and he knew he was about as deep into the zone as he could get.</p><p>
  <em>Two more points. Just two more points and you’ve got this.</em>
</p><p>You had made it. You’d come to see him and that only lit him up even more. Knowing you were there, knowing you’d come to support him. It made his brain light up like fireworks. That smile on your face. That smile was all he needed -</p><p>
  <em>One more point, one more point. One. More. Point.</em>
</p><p>The paths were clear - he saw the spikers on the other side of the net, saw the trajectory of the ball. Every step they made lighting up the path of their movement like clockwork. This move, this step, this much further to stretch his fingers and BAM. The ball slammed down onto the opponent’s side of the court and the crowd in the court went wild. He jumped, catching a teammate in a hug as the referee blew his whistle and ended the match.</p><p>He looked up to the stands, excited to share his victory with you and…</p><p>Saw you laughing at something some guy had said. You laughed and slapped a hand onto the shoulder of a guy sitting in front of you and Kuroo squinted. Goddamn, he should’ve worn his contacts today. From this distance the only way he could tell it was you was from the pastel yellow sweater he’d given you for your birthday. A sweater that a very large man was gently tugging on the sleeve of, as if asking where you’d gotten it.</p><p>He grumbled under his breath, sneaking glances at you as they went through the motions of the post-match greetings and gathered their things to leave the court. He watched as you cheerfully waved at the three guys and they left the court before his team came around to bow at that portion of the stands. You cheered and waved at him and said signaled that you’d wait there in the stands for him to be done. He nodded and smiled for the benefit of the other spectators and followed his team as they made their rounds.</p><p>There was a tiny little pinprick of something growing in his heart, making a slew of thoughts spill out. Had you even seen him play? Had you even seen the smile that grew on his face when he saw you? Did you even really come to see him? Who were those guys anyway?</p><p>The moment they made it to the locker room, he gathered his things and marched out, deciding to forgo the shower and get to you as soon as he could. He walked out towards the bleachers and ignored some people shouting his name, the blood making his ears ring. He waved them off without looking at them and called your name as he headed up the stairs. He heard you answer (“Coming!”) and almost bumped into you as you bounded round the corner.</p><p>“Hey, Tetsu! That was such an awesome game!” you were looking up at him, bouncing on your feet as you congratulated him. “That last block, especially-”</p><p>“Did you even see it?” he asked, despite himself. You tilted your head to the side in confusion.</p><p>“Of course, I saw it,” you said. “And you’ll never believe who I met-”</p><p>He sealed your lips with a searing kiss, pressing you into the wall of the stairwell. <em>No,</em> he thought as he deepened the kiss. <em>I don’t want to hear a damn thing about anyone else</em>. He felt you pressing weakly against his chest to stop him, but he sucked softly on your tongue and felt you melt under him. He bit into your lip and you moaned, but still pushed against his chest to get a good look at his face.</p><p>“Tetsu, what’s going on?” you asked.</p><p>“Who the heck were those guys?” he asked, his voice low and quiet.</p><p>“What?” you repeated</p><p>Your gaze suddenly shifted to something over his shoulder and you pointed behind him. He sighed, taking a big breath before turning around.</p><p>“You know you’ve got some real nerve making a move on someone else’s- OOF” he buckled, the all-too-familiar feeling of a knee slamming into his side making him bend over and come face to face with his attacker.</p><p>“Is that really what you call a greeting?” Yaku pulled his cap off, hands resting on his hips in his signature stance.</p><p>“Hi hi~! Kuroo-san that match was amazing,” Lev called from behind him and immediately launched into a vivid recollection of the match. Kai waved and smiled awkwardly, one hand pulling down his black facemask. It seems he was the only one who was able to read the atmosphere from Kuroo’s now furious blush hidden behind his hand and your shit-eating grin, arms folded across your chest.</p><p>“We stopped by and recognized y/n in the stands from your pictures,” Kai explained. Lev was now jumping, imitating Kuroo’s block and Yaku was yelling at him for touching the ceiling. Kuroo was now massaging his temples to hide his burning cheeks.</p><p>“I was trying to say that I ran into your old teammates,” you said, tugging on the sleeve of his arm and whispering into his ear. “But I’d be super happy to continue what you were doing earlier once we get home.”</p><p>“Hey, loverboy, how long are you gonna just stand there, aren’t we gonna get dinner?” Yaku asked, a squirming Lev trying to get out of his headlock.</p><p>“How about we head to the restaurant first and get a table?” Kai said, ever the peace-maker.</p><p>“We’ll catch up with you guys later,” you said, waving as they made their way out of the building.</p><p>You turned to face your boyfriend and he was still blushing furiously, looking away. You giggled.</p><p>“Ugh, you’re never going to let me live this down, are you?” he asked, dragging his feet down the stairs back towards the locker rooms.</p><p>“Nope,” you grinned, giving his butt a good squeeze.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. 09 || “crashing into you” - terushima yuuji [NSFW]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Request:<br/>Ummmm, if you’re into it, could we pls get a sexy, intense reunion fic as a sequel to that Yuuji one shot? Sweet!Yuuji ain’t got enought fics imo<br/>A/N: HI ANON. YES I MOST CERTAINLY CAN. So I might have gotten a little carried away with this. I realized as I kept writing the more I wrote, the more Yuuji basically turned into my boyfriend lol If you see this kitty, I love you. Told ya you’re my inspiration for everything.</p><p>The original one-shot mentioned is chapter 4 of this fic, if you're curious.</p><p>Contains: SEX, swearing, fem!reader, lingerie, multiple orgasms, creampies</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You looked down and checked your phone for the 5th time that evening. Tonight was the night. It had been four months since you’d left Tokyo and here you were, pacing a hotel room in Shibuya, anxiously waiting for him to show up. Realistically you knew it would be at least three hours before he’d be able to get to you. He had a game with his volleyball team scheduled for that day and it wasn’t something he could cancel on at the last minute. Which was fine by you - more time to get settled. You left a keycard under his name at the front desk, just in case you fell asleep before he arrived.</p><p>You jumped when your phone suddenly buzzed repeatedly with message notifications. You grinned.</p><p><b>Yuuji:</b> aoskdalmsldaksdmksla</p><p><b>Yuuji:</b> fuck</p><p><b>Yuuji:</b> fuuuuuuuck</p><p><b>Yuuji:</b> you know i’m in a volleyball game right</p><p><b>Yuuji</b>: i hate you</p><p><b>Yuuji:</b> i’m ripping that off you the moment i get there</p><p>You bit your lip to hold back a laugh. Maybe sending him a picture of you in the black lace teddy that you’d chosen for your reunion was a bad idea.</p><p><b>You:</b> Good luck, sexy. See you soon &lt;3</p><p><b>Yuuji</b>: <a href="https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Femojipedia.org%2Feggplant%2F&amp;t=MjA1OWY2NjRjZmM0YWQzYzMzMjQ1NjQ3Y2QzM2Q1ODIxMDk5Yjg0NCw1OTdlMzNjMDNlNGFmNGJkMTU3NGM1MDBjMWNjNjJlMzJkYTc0ZDRj">🍆</a></p><p>You laughed. He hadn’t seemed like that much of a horndog when you’d first met him, but you loved how straightforward he was.</p><p>You paced, you fidgeted, you touched up your makeup, you waited. As much as you tried to resist, the pull of exhaustion from your flight finally pulled you in. Just five minutes, you promised yourself.</p><p>The next thing you knew, the sound of the shower was softly pulling you awake. Opening your eyes, you saw a gym bag and shoes near the door and the scent of shampoo that was definitely not from the hotel (of course he brought his own) was wafting through the air. The door was half open but all you could see was a vague silhouette in the foggy window. You wanted to move to get up but found yourself snuggly tucked under the thick blanket on the bed. He was way too sweet for his own good.</p><p>Suddenly the sound of the shower stopped and you heard him step onto the bathroom floor. Your heart was pounding. You briefly considered lounging in a sexy pose for him to find you in, but you settled on simply wrapping your arms around a pillow to hide the silly grin on your face.</p><p>“Good morning,” he said and you peeked up from your fluffy fortress. He was standing in the doorway, steam still escaping in little tendrils. A towel slung around his waist and another slung over his shoulders, one hand gently towelling his blonde hair. A few stray droplets ran down his chest, his toned stomach and disappeared into the towel. As he walked up to you, his skin was like rippling gold, the smooth fluid muscles made your lips part with want.</p><p>“Like what you see?” he grinned, finally standing in front of the bed. You hadn’t realized you’d come to kneel at the edge, facing him. He reached out a hand to tilt your chin up and brought his lips down to press against yours.</p><p>It felt like all hell broke loose. His hand slipped up your shoulder to cup the back of your neck and pull you to him. The moan that left your lips would’ve left you mortified any other time - low, needy, desperate. He smelled amazing, fresh, clean and every inch of him enticing. He pressed you into the bed, the towel around his neck falling carelessly to the floor.</p><p>His kisses, gosh, his kisses. They always left you reeling. The slide of his tongue along your lip, the press of that piercing against your tongue. It was always about pressure - his body gently guiding you back onto the bed, the weight of him settling between your thighs, the feel of his fingers against the back of your neck just tilting your head back enough that your jaw fell slack as he kissed along your jaw.</p><p>You ran your hands through his hair. A few stray water droplets hit the skin of your neck and made you gasp. He bent down to lick them up, his warm tongue replacing the starting chill and he kissed down your chest to the middle of the lace. He paused to look at you, sitting back on his heels and he bit his lip, a blush coloring his cheeks.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” you asked, suddenly self-conscious. You raised a hand to cover the heat filling your cheeks. He shook his head.</p><p>“You’re so goddamn beautiful,” he said, taking the hand that was covering your face and kissing your palm. You cupped his face, feeling the heat of his blush on his cheeks and he leaned down to kiss you again. Somehow that heat in your palm felt like it dissolved the last little lingering pool of nerves and you felt confident. He was lost in you as much as you were in him.</p><p>You slid your hand down his chest, the coolness from the shower mingled with the heat of his muscles below. Your fingertips brushed his nipple and he gasped into your lips. You grinned and nibbled the side of his neck and gently tugged his towel out of the way. Your hands wrapped around his cock, already hard and pulsing under your grip.</p><p>“Fuck, you’re way too good at this,” he groaned, resting his head on your shoulder as you stroked him. His hips moved slowly, sliding in and out of your clenched fingers as your thumb teased the head. He reached down and gently pushed your legs apart. You were so glad you’d decided to be bold and go with a crotchless version of the teddy - the grin on his face when he slid his hands between your legs to find wet, bare skin was priceless.</p><p>You gently pushed his hand away and brought his cock down to press against you, grinding your hips up into him and he growled, your name leaving his lips in a tight gasp. He felt amazing rubbing against your core. You felt how slick he was getting between your lips, the ridge of his head rubbing just right against your clit.</p><p>“I’m not gonna last long if you keep doing that,” he moaned, face buried in your chest.</p><p>“Then get inside me,” you said. He moved to grab a condom, but you wrapped your legs around him, pulling him closer to you and you both hissed at the sudden contact. “It’s okay, I’m on the pill.”</p><p>That was all he needed before he pressed into you, the stretch, the warmth, the fullness. It was a heady mixture that threatened to finish you both right there. When he began moving, it was only to grind into you, moving his hips in a circulation motion. You all but screamed, gripping at his shoulders as your back arched of its own accord. He was hitting that spot inside you and the way his cock was moving, his skin rubbing into your clit, you felt yourself spiralling tighter and tighter. You were trying to hold out but it was so hard, you felt tears stinging your eyes.</p><p>“Yuuji, I’m so close,” you sobbed a hand sliding into his hair.</p><p>“Don’t hold back, baby,” he murmured, his lips pressed just under your ear. He picked up the pace, rolling his hips against you and your orgasm hit you like a brick wall, your lips parted in a silent cry. He must’ve had the restraint of a fucking saint, you thought as he finally began to thrust. You were shouting something - a complete mishmash of his name, please, god, fuck and more. It was so much, it was far too much as he moved in and out of you, thrusting through each pulse of your orgasm.</p><p>His hands found yours, pulling them to rest above your head as his hips moved harder faster. You bucked up into him, the angle just perfect and he felt deep, ridiculously deep inside you. You’d only just had an orgasm but you could already feel one creeping up on you. He leaned down and kissed at your nipples under the lace, biting and tugging on them with his teeth and you growled - the pain and pleasure making you clench tight around him.</p><p>“Fuck, yes,” he breathed against your chest. His hand reached down, thumb rubbing insistently at your clit and you almost screamed, nails digging into his arm that held your hands pressed down to the bed. “One more, baby, just one more. I need you to cum with me, please?”</p><p>“Yes, yes,” you found yourself saying it over and over and over again as you felt that swell inside you. It was so much, so, so much. His cock stretching you, his voice in your ear begging you to cum around him, his thumb working on your clit and the restraint, the weight of him over you. His hand came down to cup the side of your neck and he kissed you deeply and that goddamn piercing. That goddamn piercing rubbing against your tongue was your undoing.</p><p>You came with a moan, a scream, a shout, and you felt him follow soon after. That feeling of the hot splash of his orgasm inside you - warm, spilling out of you onto the sheets.</p><p>You knew that was something you wouldn’t be forgetting anytime soon. He rocked his hips gently, bringing you both down off the high, foreheads pressed together, lips just nipping at each other in post-orgasm fog. He pulled out slowly and lay on his side, pulling you close to him, both too spent and sensitive to move much.</p><p>“There’s something I’ve been meaning to say,” he said, pulling the blanket over you both.</p><p>“Oh? What’s that?” you asked, eyes closed and eagerly nuzzling into his touch.</p><p>“I’ve been thinking about it for a while and… I think I love you,” he said. Your eyes immediately flew open, taking in his expression - wet hair a mess all over his head, face and chest flushed from your exertions and a deeper, sweeter blush painting over his cheeks. His teeth tugging at a lip that he was trying to keep from breaking into a smile.</p><p>“Oh Yuuji,” you said, reaching out to brush at his hair. His hand reached out to touch your shoulder and you suddenly realized he was trembling. You kissed him. All of the late night calls, the pictures, the videos, the 5am conversations, the way he said your name. It all bubbled up inside you and spilled over into happy tears streaming down your cheeks.  </p><p>“I love you too.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. 10 || "home" - kuroo tetsurou</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Request:</p><p>I love your work ❤️ wondering if you could do a smut nsfw of Kuroo and female s/o making up and getting back together after a very nasty breakup.</p><p>A/N: Hi Anon,  I’m sorry this is so damn late! so have you noticed that I’m a piece of shit who can’t write on a consistent timeline yet? *finger guns* I got a fair bit carried away with the plot but I hope you like it! Special thanks for @nyxdelanuit and @add-a-teaspoon-of-heroism on tumblr for brainstorming with me to get this done &lt;3</p><p> </p><p>Contains: SMUT, drunken mistakes, fem!reader, breakup, swearing, name-calling, Morisuke Yaku being a bamf, potential cheating, aged-up Kuroo</p><p>Word count: fuck this is 3195</p><p>masterlist</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He hadn’t called. </p><p>It had been three weeks since you’d spoken to your boyfriend face to face and in all of that time he’d only managed to call you once, his texts messages sparse and few in between. He must be busy, you told yourself. Working in a pharmaceutical company while being in a division 2 volleyball team took it out of him, for sure, but you were worth at least 2 minutes of his time, right? Hell you were busy too, but you’d always managed to leave him at least a text. </p><p>The more you stared at it the more depressed you got. You didn’t live together but you always considered him our safe harbor, and you’d always strived to be that for him too. If anything was bothering either one of you, it used to be so easy to curl up and spill your problems to one another. It always felt safe. It always felt protected. It always felt like home.</p><p>Suddenly the Twitter app on your phone pinged. “The Nerima Nighthawks thanks all our fans and family for our support at today’s game!” </p><p>He’d had a game? He usually would at least tell you if something like that had happened. Being that he was somewhat social media averse, his feeds had gone quiet and you’d been staying away from it yourself (FOMO from all your friends and their boyfriends was real). You opened Instagram and there it was.</p><p>You only had a few mutual friends. One of them was Morisuke Yaku -  a player on his team and a friend of his from high school. Just a simple picture, posted a few hours before  - him walking out of the stadium, team trailing behind him, all freshly showered and radiant with their victory. Your boyfriend’s face was half-hidden in the back by a towel over his head, but there was no mistaking him being there too. “Afterparty, here we come! Thanks for the support!” followed by a bunch of hashtags. You’d never really bothered to look through Yaku’s posts before. He’d added you when you’d been introduced and that had been that - the only times you’d really spoken had been when you’d met in person.</p><p>You scrolled back through his timeline and your heart sank. It seemed like so much had been happening in your boyfriend’s life and you’d missed out on all of it. Yaku was definitely seeing him more often than you at this point, which was natural - they had practice several nights a week and had been friends since high school, but… you were his girlfriend. You chuckled darkly. Did you even have a right to call yourself that anymore? Your hand went to the necklace you wore around your neck. A delicate, simple necklace with a small round tiger-eye gemstone. You had matching ones and you’d picked it out together. All of that seemed so far away now. </p><p>You stood and gathered your things into your bag. It was late enough now that he should be home after the party and you had a key to his place anyway. You’d let yourself in and wait. </p><p>When you exited the lift on his floor of the apartment building you were surprised to hear the sound of loud music coming from the end of the corridor. From his door, light was spilling out and you could see shoes strewn out into the hallway, the sounds of laughter echoing off the walls. </p><p>So they’d even decided to have the afterparty at his place and you hadn’t been invited? You took a deep breath. Maybe this was just a boys-only thing. He needed his space with his friends. You’d just go over and check on him.</p><p>You took off your shoes and stepped into the front door and right into a game of beer pong. His dining table had been moved to the roomier space right in front of the door and his teammates were cheering on someone chugging beer from a can. It was a mess of bodies and loud music and you could barely make out anyone you really recognized, but what you definitely noticed was that it wasn’t limited to players only. </p><p>“Heyyyy, it’s y/n!” Yaku had spotted you and wiggled his way past a couple making out to come over. He definitely seemed buzzed but not anywhere near as wiped out as the rest of his teammates. “I’m glad you could make it! Kuroo said you were busy.”</p><p>“Oh, did he?” you asked, surprised. Yaku nodded and slung an arm around your shoulders, placing a drink in your hand. You gave him a quick one-armed hug back. “Where is he anyway?”</p><p>“Oh, he was in the kitchen,” he said, stepping ahead of you and trying to worm your way through the crowd. “It’s a goddamn mess in here, I’ll go get him for you.”</p><p>“Nah, it’s okay, I’ll go with you,” you somehow managed to make it past the beer pong table and followed Yaku as he stood in the doorway to the kitchen and he suddenly froze. You almost bumped into him and had to catch yourself on the wall. “Yaku, what’s up?”</p><p>He abruptly turned around and rested his hands on your shoulders. His tipsy flush was gone, replaced by a hard mask of anger. “Y/n, let’s get out of here.” </p><p>“What are you talking about?” you asked confused, pushing past him to peek into the kitchen. “I came here to see-”</p><p>Your voice died in your throat. A girl was standing in the kitchen, her hips pressed into the counter and your boyfriend was standing next to her, their faces dangerously close. When she turned to face you, something suddenly clicked in place - she’d been there in the background of the photos on Yaku’s timeline. You remembered briefly being introduced to her before - the team’s new female manager. </p><p>“What the hell are you doing here?” Kuroo said. His matching necklace glittered under the collar of his shirt. </p><p>Suddenly, you saw red.</p><hr/><p>His phone buzzed. <em>“She’s on her way to you now to get the rest of her things. If you hurt her again, I swear to God, I’ll strangle you myself.”  </em></p><p>He sighed and buried his head in his hands. He wished he could just talk to you. He knows he’d lost the right to, but it would be better than having to go through Yaku. He’d hurt more than just you that night. His friend was deeply disappointed in him - he always had a soft spot for you, calling you the best thing to ever walk into Kuroo’s life and he’d fucked it up. </p><p>To be honest, a lot of it was a blur. He’d been well into his cups that night and he was exhausted from the game. You had asked him where he’d been, what was going on, why he’d been distant and rather than saying what he really meant to say he’d snapped back, letting all the frustration of the past few weeks out on you. </p><p>
  <em>“All you do is perpetually check up on me. Again and again and again, can’t you fucking take a hint? I don’t want to have this conversation, right now. Alright?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No, you don’t get to walk away from me again.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“For fuck’s sake, Y’n, I’m drunk, I’m tired, I’m stressed out - what do you want me to say?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“So you’re going to blame weeks of ignoring me on being drunk tonight too?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No, maybe it’s because you’re a bitch who can’t leave well enough alone.”</em>
</p><p>Yaku had punched him then. And for someone who was barely over 5’5, he packed a hell of a punch. His stunned teammates had launched into action then, some of them pulling Yaku off him as others held Kuroo pressed into the kitchen counter. You had just stared at him, your eyes intense and red-rimmed with heartbreak. You silently took off the necklace around your neck and dropped it to the kitchen floor. </p><p>He had to admit he was lucky. Their captain had been in the living room when the fight had broken out and he had given both him and Yaku two weeks to cool off, allowing them to remain on the team so long as they sorted out their issues. The manager had quietly quit the team a while later and he had somehow managed to repair the relationship with Yaku over beer and another shouting match. And thanks to that, he somehow still had a tenuous thread. A tiny connection to you. Yaku, had been your rock through this, heck he’d been a rock for you both.</p><p>His phone buzzed again. <em>“Answer me, you asshole.”</em></p><p>“A pointy-ass rock,” he grumbled to himself, typing up a quick reply to shut him up - then there was the knock on the door.</p><hr/><p>You fidgeted with the tag on your bag. <em>In and out. In and out. Just run in, get your things and get out,</em> you told yourself. Yaku had tried to convince you to hear Tetsu- <em>Kuroo</em> out but you didn't have it in you. A fast, quick, cut. You’d always handled your breakups that way and it just made sense. The breakup in itself had been messy enough and you didn’t need this to be any more complicated. In front of his whole team, you’d screamed, you’d cried, you’d even made Yaku punch him. You’d pushed him so much that he’d called you a bitch. Maybe you were, maybe you deserved those words that cut into you over and over again. And you still missed him. You still wanted him. You still felt broken on the inside and it was probably dumb to be here so soon- </p><p>You heard the sound of footsteps and the door latch and then there he was and your heart almost broke all over again. </p><p>“Hey,” he said, his voice washing over you like hot chocolate. He looked tired and drawn but gorgeous - still unbelievably beautiful, bedhead and all. </p><p>“Hey,” you said, looking down before your heart got the better of you. “I’m sorry for bugging you, I’ll get my things and leave.” </p><p>You stepped forward and slipped past him and headed toward the bedroom. You went to the desk and began piling your books into your bag. </p><p>“Y/n,” you heard him call and he followed after you. You didn’t reply, didn’t trust your voice to stay calm. Suddenly his hand closed over yours. “Y/n, can we talk?” </p><p>“I don’t know what else there is to say,” you said. You tried to pull your hand away but his grip was gentle and firm. “I don’t know what you want from me, Kuroo.”</p><p>“Don’t call me what,” he said, he was standing so close you could feel his breath tickle your ear. “Call me what you always do.”</p><p>“I’m not your girlfriend anymore,” your voice trembled. </p><p>“I missed you,” he said, pressing his nose under your ear. “I missed you so much, Y/n.”</p><p>The wash of warmth against your body hit you hard. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right that he could break you down like that - his lips pressing into that spot that was always too sensitive, that felt like it was made for the curve of his lips. His hands teased at the edge of your shirt, and it was like every slight touch of his fingers against your skin made the heat pool between your legs. His tongue joined his lips and you gasped, the sensation making your back arch against him, your hips pressing into his and you could feel the hard length of his erection against your ass. </p><p>What were you doing? What were you doing?</p><p>“W-wait, wait, stop!” you pushed away from him and stepped back, your feet stumbling backwards until your calves hit the bed and you sat, hiding your face in your hands. Your tears were hot against your palms, sobs making you shiver. </p><p>He knelt in front of you, careful not to touch you. He reached into his pocket and pulled out your necklace, his other hand reaching past his collar to pull the matching pendant into view. </p><p>“I fucked up,” he said. “I could say it was my job, I could say it was the team, I could say you deserve better than me - and you do. The truth is, I’m a fucking coward.”</p><p>“You’re better than anything I’ve ever had,” he admitted, his voice breaking. You looked up and saw the tears misting his eyes. “You’re so damn good, too good for me and the more I got lost in that the more it seemed like you should just leave me behind. But rather than talk to you, I just let it fester.”</p><p>“I did too,” you admitted. “I felt you slipping away but I just didn’t know what to do to help. And then that party… She’s prettier, she’s better, she’s probably more interesting-”</p><p>“No!” he protested, he reached forward to touch you and stopped at the last minute. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “No, she’s nothing! Please, I haven’t- please, can I touch you?” </p><p>You nodded and he pulled you into his arms, hand cradling the back of your neck as you sobbed into his shoulder. Why, you thought as you clutched at his shirt. Why does this feel like home? </p><p>“I love you,” he said, voice thick and tight with tears. “I fucked up letting you go, but please. Give me a chance to make it right. Give me a chance to make it up to you.” </p><p>You tightened your grip on his shirt and nodded. He must’ve felt your affirmation, because his grip tightened, his arms wrapping you so tight it was hard to breathe. He kissed you, lips meeting like magnets even when you could’ve sworn you never opened your eyes. He pushed you gently back into the mattress, his tongue slipping past your lips and caressing yours. </p><p>His fingers were so gentle, pushing your hair from your face and clearing a path for his lips as he kissed away your tears. Your hands loosened their grip on his shirt and slipped up to wrap your arms around his neck, keeping him close. He pressed his forehead to yours. </p><p>“You’re the most beautiful thing in the world to me,” he said, and kissed you, hard before you could protest. “I’ll never forgive myself for making you doubt that but… at least let me try to make it up to you.” </p><p>He kissed down your jaw, hitting that spot under your ear again and making you squirm. Your fingers were lost in his hair as he nuzzled between your breasts, his fingers making their way up under your shirt and tugging your bra down. He kissed the cloth over your nipple, the sensation was maddening - warmth flooding through whenever he pressed his mouth to one and the chill of the damp fabric in the air making them tense whenever he switched to the other one. </p><p>He dragged his fingernails gently down your sides, the tingles immediately making you cry out, back bowing from the bed. He tugged at your clothed nipples with his teeth, pulling off them with a pop, just enough pain to be incredibly pleasurable. He tugged at your pants and underwear together, pulling them swiftly down and off your legs with practiced ease. </p><p>“Every inch of you,” he said, as he kissed up from your ankles, stopping at the random scars he’d memorized over the years, kissing each one. “Every last inch of you is precious to me.”</p><p>“K-Kuroo-ah!” you gasped as he bit hard into your inner thigh, then pressed kiss after kiss over the bite.</p><p>“Say my name,” he said, voice firm but his eyes were pleading. “Say my name, kitten, please.”</p><p>“Tetsu,” you said and it melted into a moan. He dived in between your legs, his tongue swirling around your clit, his fingers teased at your entrance. Your legs reflexively tried to close around him, but he held you firm, tongue insistent and demanding. You were dripping, already dripping so quickly and when he slipped two fingers in, there was barely any resistance. “T-Tetsu, please, I want you inside me.”</p><p>“Not yet, kitten,” he said, between long, cat-like swipes at your clit. “You’re going to cum for me first.” </p><p>You squirmed as he sucked at you, his fingers curling just right, hitting that spot inside you and you came, biting your lip to hold back a scream. Your fingers fisted in his hair and he moaned in satisfaction, tongue not moving, but pressed firmly against you, feeling every quiver of your orgasm. Once you’d come down from your high, he gently kissed around you, hands holding your legs firmly apart as you twitched and squirmed under him.</p><p>He kissed up your torso, whispering praise against your skin. His hands finally pulled the rest of your clothes out of the way before he made quick work of his own. He paused for a moment, reaching down to the floor and picking up your necklace. He crawled over you and you pulled your hair out of the way, arching your neck to give him access. When he was done, he pressed a kiss to it, lips grazing your chest around the delicate pendant. </p><p>“I love you,” he said, looking deep into your eyes. “I’ll never give you a reason to leave this behind again.”</p><p>“I love you too,” you said, happy tears pricking at your eyes. You pulled him close and pressed your lips to his, tasting yourself on his lips. You sucked gently on his bottom lip and he moaned, bucking into you. You groaned, the heat of his cock along your thigh was maddening. “Tetsu, please.”</p><p>“I know,” his laugh quickly turned to a gasp when you ground your hips up against his, his cock sliding along your slit. He growled, his composure broken, and finally kissed you deeply, swallowing your moan as he finally pushed into you, filling you, stretching you with his cock. </p><p>“You’re so fucking perfect,” he whispered against your lips, hips slowly beginning to thrust. You kissed him back eagerly, legs wrapping around him, limiting him to smaller movements but keeping his cock deep inside you. He groaned and his forehead fell to your chest. “God, I love it when you do that.”</p><p>“I love you too,” you chuckled, hands threading through his hair, pulling him gently up to kiss you again. It wasn’t long before you were both close to falling apart, he tilted his hips, angling his cock just right and you were coming undone around him, squeezing and pulsing along his length until he came with a moan stifled against your chest. </p><p>He slowly pulled out, both of you sighing sadly at the separation. He lay beside you and pulled you into his chest, his fingers gently spreading your hair out, gently separating it from where it was sticking to your skin. You nuzzled into his chest-breathing in the scent of his skin, his sweat at the tiny metallic tang of the necklace and all that was singing in your veins was a single word.</p><p><em>Home</em>.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>